The Milwaukee Bucks front office have very little time, if any, to wallow in yet another disappointing end to their season this term. After embarrassingly falling to an underdog Miami Heat side 4-1 in the second round, the Bucks now have one pressing matter at hand: Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The newly-crowned Defensive Player of the Year and soon-to-be back-to-back MVP winner is now entering the final season of his current deal. The Bucks are expected to offer Giannis a record-breaking max extension, and for his part, the 25-year-old has already expressed his desire to remain in Milwaukee.
Then again, we've seen crazier things happen in the past. The fact that the Bucks ended their season in frustration yet again only feeds fire to the flame of Giannis taking his talents elsewhere. Needless to say, until he puts pen to paper, anything can happen.
As such, the Bucks will need to do everything in their power to keep their superstar happy. Perhaps the best way to do this is by proving to him that they remain dead serious about building a championship-caliber team around him. Adding a second superstar (or third if you consider Khris Middleton to be a bona fide superstar) to the team should serve as a great start for Milwaukee.
There are a number of stars that could be available in the market in the upcoming offseason, and below are three of them that the Bucks should closely monitor to convince Giannis Antetokounmpo to stay.
Chris Paul, Oklahoma City Thunder
As soon as the Bucks were unceremoniously eliminated from the playoffs courtesy of the Miami Heat, rumors immediately started swirling about Milwaukee's potential trade dealings in the offseason. One of the first names that popped up was none other than Chris Paul of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
There are undeniably a number of significant cons in bringing Paul to Milwaukee, with perhaps none bigger than the huge contract the All-Star point guard brings with him. This comes out to the tune of $85.6 million over the next two years. Moreover, Paul's player option for the 2021-22 season also runs the risk of him being nothing more than a one-year rental for Milwaukee.
Despite the downside, Paul still remains to be one of the top point guards in the league. His playmaking ability is second to none, and this will only benefit Giannis — especially in half-court sets. Antetokounmpo has not had the pleasure of playing alongside an elite point guard, and this is exactly what Paul brings to the table.
As with any other deal, Milwaukee will need to part ways with a number of significant assets in order to acquire Paul. This may come in the form Eric Bledsoe, Brook Lopez, and a few other pieces to also make the money work.
Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers
Much like the Bucks, the Philadelphia 76ers are also facing quite a conundrum this offseason. Their first-round exit is even worse than that of Milwaukee, and at this point, the Sixers front office will likely consider calling time on The Process. The first domino has actually fallen with the team parting ways with long-time head coach Brett Brown.
If Philly indeed decides to break up the Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons partnership, then it's likely the former that will placed on the trading block. However, for the Bucks, Simmons appears to be the better fit playing alongside Giannis.
Simmons is no Chris Paul in terms of playmaking and point guard duties, but the 24-year-old brings other assets to the table. For one, just imagine the type of defense the Bucks would have with Simmons, Antetokounmpo, and Brook Lopez. Those are three 2020 All-Defensive team members (Lopez was named to the second team), not to mention Giannis winning DPOY.
If Milwaukee want to keep Lopez on board, then Philly will likely require Khris Middleton as a centerpiece of this deal. It's a huge ask, but Simmons might just prove to be the missing piece for the Bucks.
Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards
Last but not least, we have Bradley Beal of the Washington Wizards. It feels like the All-Star two-guard has been a perpetual trade candidate, and this comes to no surprise considering how many believe that he's wasting his best years with a mediocre, non-playoff side in the Wizards.
Beal is one of the best scorers in the league today, and this is a burden he can take away from Antetokounmpo on a nightly basis. The Wizards shooting guard averaged a career-best 30.5 points per game this season (with John Wall out of the picture), and while Beal likely won't be able to sustain this in Milwaukee, but adding his scoring caliber alongside Giannis instantly makes the Bucks one of the most potent offenses in the entire league.
Obviously, Beal won't come for cheap. The Bucks will likely need to include the likes of Bledsoe and/or Lopez in a potential deal. If the Wizards ask for Middleton, then the Bucks will need to think long and hard about swapping superstars. Will it be worth it? Probably.
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