The Milwaukee Bucks had another star guard in their sights prior to acquiring Jrue Holiday from the New Orleans Pelicans.

Shams Charania, Eric Nehm and Sam Amick of The Athletic reported Milwaukee took a special interest in Indiana Pacers guard Victor Oladipo, who was enveloped in trade rumors this offseason.

The Bucks' interest in Oladipo stemmed primarily from the fact Giannis Antetokounmpo had worked out with the former All-Star during the summer:

However, this offseason consisted of Antetokounmpo spending time with Indiana Pacers two-time All-Star Victor Oladipo, working out and hanging out abroad, sources said. It is one of the major reasons the Bucks pursued Oladipo and made an offer for him in the offseason, according to sources.

There was a stretch of time where it seemed inevitable Oladipo would be traded. Indiana's extension talks with the star two-guard consistently waned over time, and there were also rumors Dipo had openly discussed wanting to play for other organizations.

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Ultimately, however, Oladipo declared loyalty to the Pacers, and Indiana stated it had no interest in moving the former No. 2 overall pick.

Incidentally, the player the Bucks ultimately acquired (Holiday) is very similar to Oladipo.

Holiday is one of the top defensive guards in the game. He can score off the bounce and make plays for his teammates while also having the ability to shoot it from beyond the arc. Clearly, the Bucks were doing everything they could to cater to Giannis in an effort to get him to sign the supermax.

The Bucks might not have landed Oladipo, but the acquisition of Holiday surely helped to influence Antetokounmpo's decision to sign what is the richest contract in league history.