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Yesterday, we released our first batch of mock Giannis Antetokounmpo trades. These deals were meant to cover the most frequently discussed trade partners: the big markets like New York, Los Angeles and Golden State along with some asset-rich younger teams like San Antonio and Detroit. Several of those teams will surely factor into the potential bidding. As of now, though, Antetokounmpo, who will miss the next 2-4 weeks with a calf injury and still has not publicly addressed the latest wave of trade speculation, is not known to have a specific list of preferred teams in mind.

That means, until further notice, other teams are welcome to prepare their offers. Plenty certainly will. So today, we're going to look for a few sleeper fits for Antetokounmpo. Some of these teams are getting thrown around more and more in the fake-trade-o-sphere, others are out of left field. So long as the teams in question can send Milwaukee a competitive trade package while still giving Antetokounmpo a chance to compete for a championship, they're fair game.

Trade 1: Giannis to Atlanta

The first thing you're going to notice in several of these trades: Myles Turner is included. That's no accident. There aren't that many centers that can shoot well enough to fit next to Antetokounmpo. The Bucks happen to have one of them, and they won't need him or his hefty four-year contract in the near future. Therefore, we're sending him to teams that could actually use him in their front courts where matching salary is feasible.

The second notable detail here? Atlanta's two best trade chips are off of the table. The Bucks don't get Jalen Johnson here, who shares many similarities with Antetokounmpo as a devastating interior force and transition scorer. They also don't get the exceedingly valuable 2026 first-round pick Atlanta acquired on draft night from New Orleans, which is the more favorable pick this year between the 3-19 Pelicans and the Bucks themselves. Atlanta's future is so bright right now that they have no great need to go all-in on Antetokounmpo. If the Hawks are doing this, it will be at their price.

So what would their team look like afterward? Giant. They'd look giant. The shortest players in the rotation would be breakout guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker and steady shooter Luke Kennard at 6-foot-5. After that? Just a seemingly endless string of enormous wings, forwards and bigs. Turner and Onyeka Okongwu can both shoot 3s, so they'd likely be able to cobble together the bare minimum spacing needed to accommodate the big wings. Antetokounmpo and Johnson together would be one of the most terrifying forward pairings in recent NBA history. Good luck slowing them down on the break or stopping them at the basket. This team could win the Eastern Conference right now, but it could remain competitive after Antetokounmpo ages out of stardom with Johnson and that 2026 Pelicans pick leading the way.

Risacher and Daniels aren't Johnson, but they're not exactly chopped liver. That's the 2024 No. 1 overall pick and the 2025 Most Improved Player, after all. Both figure to be above-average starters for the foreseeable future. Porziņģis brings many of the same traits as Turner, but without the long-term financial commitment. The real question here is how interested the Bucks would be in Trae Young, especially with free agency potentially looming.

Milwaukee isn't a tank-friendly market, and the Bucks don't control their own picks anyway. The concept of bringing in an established star in his prime, even one whose stock is relatively low, is probably somewhat appealing. You can put Trae Young on a billboard. He can sell tickets. Besides, there's a bit of an internal hedge here built into the trade. Remember, the Bucks are getting partial control over their own 2027 first-round pick back. Let's say Young walks as a free agent over the summer. So long as both their own 2027 pick and New Orleans' don't fall in the top four, they'd be able to tank their way into a fairly high draft pick without Young. Heck, that might even be preferable. Remember, the Bucks already control the lesser of their own pick and New Orleans' this year. A two-year stealth tank and some smart drafting could go a long way here.

The Bucks would surely want more. It's hard to imagine them making a deal with Atlanta that doesn't include Johnson or the 2026 Pelicans pick. And if that's the case? Atlanta is comfortable holding on to what it has. This team is loaded with talent and draft capital. It's winning plenty without either Young or Antetokounmpo. The Hawks can afford to play the long game. The Bucks can't. So if the other offers are uninspiring, the notion that Atlanta could swoop in without offering their two best pieces isn't crazy.

Trade 2: Giannis to Orlando

This is another "if the better packages don't pan out" offer, though less because of the quality of players and more for the absence of picks. Orlando traded most of its draft assets to Memphis for Desmond Bane. The concept of getting picks in the 2030s from a team that's getting a soon-to-be-31-year-old Antetokounmpo is appealing, but they only go so far on a team that would still have Paolo Banchero. Speaking of whom, the poison pill in his rookie extension makes it functionally impossible for him to be included in a Giannis trade during the season. Perhaps over the summer, it's a concept the two sides could revisit if another trade hasn't materialized.

If it happens during the season, it would have to be Wagner as the centerpiece. You could argue that's a better outcome for Milwaukee anyway. Wagner has outplayed Banchero in just about every way thus far this season. He's scoring more and doing so more efficiently. They're about even in assists, but Banchero averages more touches per game. Wagner is the superior defender of the two. Banchero is a better rebounder. He looks more like a franchise player considering his affinity for late-clock shotmaking and strong playoff track record. But Wagner is 24 years old and potentially about to make his first All-Star team. He's no consolation prize.

Neither is Anthony Black for that matter. The former lottery pick is averaging almost 17 points across his last nine games. His 3-pointers are starting to fall, and while he's no Jalen Suggs, he's been an above-average defensive guard throughout his brief career. He's even younger than Wagner at 21. There's real upside to be tapped here. Tristan da Silva has taken a step this season as well, albeit in a smaller role. For the third player in a package, he's a nice swing.

This isn't a "wins the bidding war" package. This is a stalemate package. Imagine a world in which Antetokounmpo makes it known that he only wants to play for a select few teams. None of those teams make strong offers. The Bucks need someone to jump in with a rental offer. This is where it becomes plausible for the Magic, and if they could pull it off? They'd be the unquestioned Eastern Conference favorites. This team would have everything Antetokounmpo theoretically needs. Shooting? Bane is among the NBA's best, and Wendell Carter Jr. is fine for a center. Defense? Jalen Suggs can cover anyone. Late-game shotmaking help? Banchero is still here. It's not necessarily a conventional Giannis team, but it would potentially be a very effective one.

Keep this in mind: John Hammond drafted Antetokounmpo for the Bucks all the way back in 2013. He left for Orlando years later and is now a senior advisor to president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman. There's going to be at least one voice in that room pushing for an Antetokounmpo trade. That might not be enough to make a deal, but at least it's a start.

Trade 3: Giannis to Cleveland

Enough of these compromise offers. Let's get the Bucks a true, premium asset. How does Evan Mobley sound? If the Bucks have another path to a 24-year-old All-NBA player, I certainly don't see it. It's probably too early in the season for Cleveland to consider a swing this big. They've been underwhelming at 13-10, but injuries have contributed to that. If they're still in the middle of the Eastern Conference a month or so from now and feel their championship window slipping away, that's when they consider something like this.

We've covered the mechanics of a Cleveland blockbuster in several other stories. In short: it's extremely difficult financially. Cleveland is $22 million above the second apron. They'd have to get below the second apron in order to aggregate salaries, which they'd need to do since they have nobody who makes as much as Antetokounmpo. If the Cavs are going to get Turner back as well, which they probably need to in order to justify this expenditure, that means De'Andre Hunter, Jarrett Allen and Max Strus all need to go for salary purposes. The Bucks would happily take the first two. We need a cap dump for the latter. There are only two teams who can take him: Utah with the trade exception left from dealing John Collins, and Brooklyn with its $15 million or so in leftover cap space. Congratulations Brooklyn, you're getting a valuable first-round pick just to take on a contract.

Where does this leave Cleveland? Ironically, in a similar place it's been in the past: great in the backcourt, great in the frontcourt, iffy on the wing. They'd be making a huge bet on health risks like Dean Wade and Lonzo Ball as well as the development of youngster Jaylon Tyson. Sam Merrill's shooting would become that much more valuable, and Craig Porter Jr. would probably get more consistent minutes, which he's been ready to take for awhile now. The supporting cast would be iffy. The core would be insane.

Donovan Mitchell, Giannis Antetokounmpo and shooting everywhere? How on Earth do you stop that? Darius Garland would immediately became the best tertiary ball-handler in basketball. Turner would never have easier shots, and that's after playing with Tyrese Haliburton. This is the offensive answer to Oklahoma City's defensive behemoth, a potentially unstoppable group that would immediately become Eastern Conference favorites and a true threat to win the title. Considering the offensive decline they've experienced this season, it's hard not to be tempted.

Is that worth giving up another decade of Mobley? It's hard to say. It's going to require genuine honestly and reflection out of the Cavaliers. Deep down, do they believe they can win the championship? Not just that they could do so with breaks and opposing injuries. Do they think, at their best, they can compete with the Western Conference champions at their best? If the answer to that is no, Cleveland has some tough questions to answer. There's no obvious way of improving given the draft capital they still owe out and the apron issues they've willingly created. You may rather roll the dice on a shorter window than risk a slow but steady decline from conference favorite to middle of the pack. The Celtics and Pacers are out of it now. The path to the Finals has never been clearer. It's right there for Cleveland. It would just cost them the best player they've drafted since LeBron James.

Trade 4: Giannis to Indiana

Let's get weird. It's time to turn enemies into friends. If Chris Paul can play for Golden State, Giannis Antetokounmpo can play for Indiana. There are pros and cons to the fit. Obviously, Antetokounmpo and Tyrese Haliburton in transition would be breathtaking. They're easier fits than Giannis would be with most star guards because Haliburton doesn't monopolize the ball in the half court. But no one on the Pacers does, and that's part of what makes them special. Would Indiana really trade its egalitarian wonderland of an offense for something a bit more heliocentric around Antetokounmpo? It'd be pretty out of character for an organization this historically conservative. We're also talking about a two-time MVP. He's someone you make exceptions for. Getting Vučević as the shooting center to replace Myles Turner is the icing on the cake, though he's nowhere near the defender Turner is.

Siakam probably doesn't appeal much to Milwaukee given his age. Chicago, on the other hand, is actively seeking its version of Siakam in its quest to emulate the Pacers. Well, why not the real thing? The contract here are mostly just flotsam on Chicago's end. Collins, Huerter and Okoro wouldn't be long-term fixtures. Toppin and Mathurin are a bit more interesting. Mathurin is having a breakout campaign in Haliburton's absence, averaging almost 21 points per game on on reasonable efficiency, especially for a team this decimated by injuries. Toppin is a high-end reserve who will at least generate highlights. Most teams would be happy to have him on a reasonable contract.

The real attraction here are the picks. The Bulls send two to Milwaukee to get Siakam: their own in 2026, which figures to be in the middle of the round, and another in 2032, which is a bit of a mystery box. We have no idea what the Bulls will look like in six-and-a-half years. In general, though, you want to control picks from bad organizations. Why do you think the Spurs keep trading with the Kings?

Indiana contributes three first-rounders of its own along with two swaps, taking the total to five picks and seven total draft assets. Notably, though, we've left out the best pick of them all, Indiana's 2026 pick, which now figures to be at or near the top of the draft. The notably thrifty Pacers would likely reason that with a supermax Antetokounmpo on their books for the foreseeable future, they'd have to develop cheap youth both to serve as depth early on and then to eventually replace him in the core. If that's a deal-breaker, the Pacers likely walk away. Notably, this is the same breakdown of first-round draft assets as the Clippers sent the Thunder for Paul George in 2019. Five picks. Two swaps.

That deal came with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. This one wouldn't. The Bucks would really have to believe in Mathurin, or they'd have to be very eager to short the Pacers. Neither are especially likely bets, but they're feasible ones. Mathurin has been playing in a system built around a star teammate for his entire career. The concept that he'd break out under more traditional circumstances is reasonable. Antetokounmpo is 31 and Haliburton is coming off of a torn Achilles. There's meaningful injury risk there. It's unlikely that the Bucks get as much out of these picks as the Thunder will from the picks they got from the Clippers, but we thought the George-Kawhi Leonard duo would be dominant as well. You never know in the NBA. Get enough unprotected picks and some of them are bound to pan out.

Trade 5: Giannis to Portland

There are no draft picks more valuable than your own. You can't force another team to be bad. You can quite easily tank yourself if you're committed enough to doing so. Portland is a commonly suggested facilitator. It controls Milwaukee's first-round picks in 2028, 2029 and 2030, and if someone could help the Bucks get those picks back, well, that would probably go a long way towards completing a deal. There are a number of interesting permutations to such a deal. Imagine the Lakers make a real run at Antetokounmpo, for instance. Austin Reaves is exactly the sort of scorer Portland needs.

But what if the Blazers just decided to YOLO this thing and swing for the superstar themselves? Portland isn't a championship contender, at least at this moment. But it's home to two former teammates Antetokounmpo knows quite well: Jrue Holiday and Damian Lillard. Lillard may be out this season, but he should be back in some capacity next season. Deni Avdija is growing into an All-Star before our very eyes, and Toumani Camara just made an All-Defensive team. If Shaedon Sharpe could just find his 3-point shot, the Blazers could really have something here, assuming Antetokounmpo is at all amenable to staying in Portland (maybe a long shot!).

This trade isn't just a reset for the Bucks, though. It's a chance to look at two pretty promising youngsters up close and decide if they can be long-term Bucks. Henderson hasn't grown into a franchise guard in Portland, but he'd hardly be the first highly drafted point guard to blossom on his second team. Clingan is one of the NBA's best young rim-protectors. They're not as exciting as some of the other players we've covered here, but Portland's pick package does the heavy-lifting here.

Now, it's unlikely that Portland actually pursues Antetokounmpo for themselves here, but there's a fascinating game of chicken going on in these sweepstakes. The Bucks want their own picks back. They're Milwaukee's only ticket to a proper rebuild. The Blazers know that, and will surely demand a haul to get them. But the Bucks also have the capacity to significantly diminish the value of those picks with the right trade. If Milwaukee gets a bunch of young talent or another All-Star, it can win enough games to limit the upside on those picks. Portland wants picks from a Bucks team that's still sorting through rubble at the end of the decade, not actually winning. So expect the Blazers to monitor the proceedings closely. If there's a way for them to cash out on those Bucks picks at a valuation similar to what Houston got for giving Brooklyn its picks back in the Mikal Bridges deal, they'll consider it just to eliminate the risk.

Again, that probably won't mean chasing Giannis himself, though it's a fun idea to consider. Antetokounmpo and Lillard didn't work out in Milwaukee. Maybe it could in Portland. Lillard spent years trying and failing to convince another star of that caliber to join him with the Blazers. The irony of Portland using the picks it got for Lillard to steal the greatest player that Lillard's ex-team has ever had would be pretty delicious. It's a shame it's so unlikely, because the storylines write themselves.