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With Giannis Antetokounmpo's future hanging in the balance, the Milwaukee Bucks find themselves at a crossroads, caught between hope and uncertainty.
Milwaukee's summer is largely defined by waiving and stretching Damian Lillard's contract to create enough space to sign center Myles Turner. It was an aggressive move, but one that was aimed at retaining Antetokounmpo.
Outside of Turner, the Bucks focused on re-signing role players such as Gary Trent Jr., Bobby Portis, Ryan Rollins, and Taurean Prince. The newest acquisitions came on much smaller deals. Both Cole Anthony and Gary Harris, who last played for the Orlando Magic, signed contracts worth less than $4 million annually.
Now, the question is: can this roster compete for a championship?
It's the question many are asking of Milwaukee, and what's keeping Antetokounmpo astray from committing to the franchise for this season and beyond.
With Antetokounmpo, the Bucks are the only team in the Eastern Conference with a former NBA MVP. Even when he turns 31 years old this December, Antetokounmpo will still be the best player in the conference.
His presence alone makes Milwaukee a championship contender. But to fulfill those high aspirations, the Bucks still have work to do.
Here are three way-too-early trade candidates for the Bucks in the 2025-26 NBA season.
Jrue Holiday
Everybody loves a reunion. Jrue Holiday is now a two-time NBA Champion after winning the 2024 NBA Finals with the Boston Celtics.
The former Buck was used in a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2023 to pair Lillard alongside Antetokounmpo. With injuries affecting Jayson Tatum's 2025-26 season, Holiday is back in Portland, where Lillard joined him shortly after.
It was a questionable move by the Trail Blazers, indicating they want to compete in the Western Conference. Even if they were to sneak into the play-in tournament, it's hard to imagine Portland as a playoff team.
Holiday was reportedly unhappy about the trade, according to NBA columnist Steve Bulpett. He just turned 35 years old in June and is clearly at the backend of his career.
As a former NBA Champion in the twilight of his career, it's easy to assume that Holiday wants to compete for championships at this stage in his career.
A reunion with Milwaukee will not be easy, given that he's making more than $32 million this season. But for a team that lacks perimeter defense, Holiday would again be a seamless fit alongside Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee.
Dillon Brooks
For a team that's lacked edge and competitive grit since Holiday's departure, Dillon Brooks is another viable option. He's coming off a career year from 3-point range, shooting nearly 40% for the Houston Rockets last season.
But his impact is mostly present on the defensive end and through his personality. He likes to get under the opponents' skin, and oftentimes, it works to Brooks' advantage.
Financially, it'd be a lot easier for the Bucks to acquire Brooks. He's making just over $21 million this season, and the contract declines in 2026-27, the final year of the deal. If the Suns struggle in the loaded Western Conference, Brooks could be a valuable trade target at the February deadline.
The 6-foot-6, 225-pound forward would give the Bucks a much-needed perimeter defender who can provide the energy and spark that is often required for championship teams.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
The Bucks already acquired one former Orlando Magic player who was sent to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Desmond Bane. Why not get the other?
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is still just 32 years old as he enters his 13th NBA season. The Magic traded Caldwell-Pope in part to acquire Bane, but also to clear up cap space.
He's coming off his worst season since his final two with the Los Angeles Lakers from 2019-21. But his role with Orlando never seemed to fit like it did with the Denver Nuggets.
Caldwell-Pope thrives in a system with space and a player attracting double teams. Nikola Jokic, like Antetokounmpo, is one of the few players who consistently demands multiple defenders. In two seasons with the Nuggets, KCP averaged over two wide-open 3-pointers per game, converting at least 44% in each season, according to NBA stats.
He thrived within Jokic's playstyle, also evident in his back-to-back seasons shooting over 40% from three.
Antetokounmpo can be a similar force, drawing double teams and dishing out for spot-up threes. And despite Caldwell-Pope's age, he can also be an upgrade defensively for the Bucks.
It's unlikely that KCP will solve all of their defensive problem, but he's an upgrade that can bolster the Bucks' defense against some of the East's brightest guards.
