The writing is on the wall for Giannis Antetokounmpo's future in Milwaukee, and the Portland Trail Blazers are in a prime position to capitalize. While facilitating a multi-team deal to one of his preferred destinations seems most likely, Portland quietly has a puncher's chance in the Giannis sweepstakes. The fact that they have Bucks' future draft capital gives them unique leverage.
So what if they cashed in their chips to land the Greek Freak themselves? Here's what a potential trade could look like:
Trail Blazers receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Bucks receive: Jerami Grant, Donovan Clingan, Scoot Henderson, 2028 first-round pick (via ORL), return of 2029 first-round pick, return of 2028 and 2030 first-round pick swaps
Why the Trail Blazers would agree
Portland has a good mix of youth and veterans. Combine that with the Bucks' picks, and you have all the ingredients required to pull off a blockbuster.
Last season, it wouldn't have been in the Blazers' best interest to make a run at Giannis. Things are different now in PDX. They have a legitimate All-Star in Deni Avdija and two aging star guards in Damian Lillard and Jrue Holiday. It's suddenly become much more feasible to successfully accelerate their rebuilding timeline.
Losing Scoot Henderson would sting and create even more uncertainty in their future backcourt. Donovan Clingan has become a foundational piece in Portland and would be even tougher to let go. The Blazers would likely have to address their center depth in a follow-up trade before the deadline to maximize this closing window of Holiday and Giannis' prime.
It would all be worth the headache.
Next season, Portland could roll out a starting lineup of Holiday, Lillard, Camara, Avdija, and Giannis. That's a contender even out west.
Most importantly, their future wouldn't be bleak despite such a win-now move. None of these picks they're giving out are their own, while a young core of Shaedon Sharpe, Camara, Avdija, and Yang Hansen is more than enough to work with going forward.
Why the Bucks would agree
Charania adds that the Bucks are seeking a combination of "blue-chip young talent" and multiple draft picks in return for their superstar. In other words, they'd be looking to initiate a rebuild. However, Milwaukee will have difficulty achieving that unless it controls its own future. They need their own picks back to have an incentive to bottom out for a coveted draft pick.
Henderson's value remains up in the air as he's yet to play in what many considered to be a make-or-break season. But it would be worth taking a flyer on a 21-year-old guard who was a former No. 3 overall pick to see if he reaches that tantalizing ceiling. Most significantly, Clingan would resolve their glaring frontcourt issues. He's an elite defensive anchor who has become a building block in Portland's rebuild, and he would do the exact same thing for Milwaukee.
While Camara or Sharpe would be nice additions to this package, their extensions prior to the season complicate things. Camara is ineligible to be traded, while Sharpe has a poison pill restriction. Still, "settling" for two recent top ten picks, getting back your own picks, and adding a future first in the process has to be intriguing to Milwaukee.
There are likelier landing spots out there, but the fact that Portland can realistically offer up this type of package has to make them a dark horse for Giannis.