With trade season unofficially underway, all eyes are on the Milwaukee Bucks and superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Greek Freak has not formally requested a trade, but this stretch between now and the Feb. 5 trade deadline could decide the fate of Milwaukee's franchise.
The Bucks currently sit 10th in the Eastern Conference with an 11-16 record, and worse, Giannis is expected to be sidelined for roughly three more weeks due to a right calf strain. This is going to be the Bucks' make-or-break stretch where Giannis gets to evaluate whether he truly feels like there's enough on this roster. It's already not going well, considering they just recently fell to the rebuilding Brooklyn Nets 127-82.
Bucks want to be buyers at the deadline
Milwaukee and Giannis both have to know they don't have enough on this existing roster. But with the Bucks not wanting their superstar to leave, they're forced to pursue external upgrades to convince him to stay. NBA insider Jake Fischer recently reported on The Stein Line that "Milwaukee is messaging that it wants to be buyers at this deadline to try to get Giannis more help."
After their all-in trade for Damian Lillard backfired, the Bucks have limited assets to upgrade their roster around Giannis. Their desperation has already resulted in moves such as trading for Kyle Kuzma or waiving Lillard to sign Myles Turner. They seem headed for another myopic move at the deadline.
Fischer names Zach LaVine as a trade target who makes sense for Milwaukee. LaVine fits under the criteria of a skilled but overpaid player who will help give Giannis a supporting cast, but can realistically be attainable given their limited assets.
However, another player who fits this criteria is Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant.
Blazers could send Jerami Grant as a Trojan Horse
"Another player who has been on Milwaukee's radar under the same premise, both this season and in previous years, is Trail Blazers swingman Jerami Grant," Fischer writes.
"Grant has two seasons remaining on his deal after this one worth just over $70 million … and Portland already controls Milwaukee's first-round pick in 2028, 2029 and 2030 as a vestige of the Damian Lillard trade. It's a combination, incidentally, that has prompted several rival team strategists to point to Portland as a potential participant in an eventual multiteam Giannis trade structure if/when that actually materializes."
It's that connection to the Damian Lillard trade that makes Milwaukee an ideal landing spot if Portland is finally able to shed Grant's contract. The Blazers still owe Grant $102.6 million over the next three years and should be looking to sell high on the veteran forward who is in the midst of a bounce-back season.
He's likely still viewed as a negative asset around the league and would essentially be a last-ditch effort for the Bucks to keep Giannis around -- one that ultimately wouldn't be enough to propel them into contention status.
With the Blazers holding onto the Bucks' future draft capital thanks to that Lillard deal, Grant is the perfect piece Portland can send over as a Trojan Horse to make sure they really run out of options to upgrade their roster.
Losing Grant's scoring would hurt the Blazers in the short term, but this would absolutely be the right move to set them up for future success. After taking on Jrue Holiday's salary this summer, it's become more essential than ever to move on from Grant.
And it sounds like the Blazers may finally have a team desperate enough to look past that contract.