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The Milwaukee Bucks were on the verge of accomplishing special things this season after tallying a league-best record of 53-12 prior to entering the 2020 NBA Playoffs in the Orlando Bubble. However, things took an unexpected turn after they failed to live up to lofty expectations and ultimately succumbed to the hands of the Miami Heat in five games in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals.
After a disappointing campaign, everyone knew that the upcoming offseason was going to be pivotal for the Bucks, especially concerning the future of their two-time MVP in Giannis Antetokounmpo.
His name was immediately brought up in the headlines, being linked to several potential destinations for his upcoming free agency. The Greek national is expected to hit the free-agent market after the 2020-2021 NBA season but has yet to sign a $230 million supermax contract extension with the Bucks.
Not putting any second to waste, the Bucks front office headed by team general manager Jon Horst quickly buckled down and engaged in trades that shook the entire league. He secured the services of one of the most sought-after talents in Jrue Holiday from the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for Eric Bledsoe, George Hill, and three first-round draft picks (2020, 2025, 2027) including the right to swap in both the 2024 and 2026 NBA Drafts.
The one-time All-Star in Holiday will be bringing in a steady presence and solid playmaking on the floor for the Bucks next season. He has proven that he still has a lot of basketball left in him after averaging 19.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 6.7 assists in his 11th season in the league.
Not long after, the Bucks also snagged another promising player in Serbian swingman Bogdan Bogdanovic along with the seldom-used Justin James in a sign-and-trade deal with the Sacramento Kings in exchange for the trio of Donte DiVincenzo, Ersan Ilyasova, and DJ Wilson.
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Still in the early stages of his career, Bogdanovic has already shown flashes of his potential especially after tallying career-high numbers of 15.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game in 61 appearances for the Kings in his third season in the league.
The trades won’t be made official until Nov. 22, when the free agency moratorium is lifted but the Bucks have already made it known to the rest of the league that they are ultimately committed to winning and contend for championships in the near future.
As for Antetokounmpo, the moves were indicative of the team's strong desire to put him in the centerpiece of their plans for the future. Now is the best time for him to cash in and take advantage of perhaps the strongest lineup that he has been given all throughout his seven-year tenure in Milwaukee thus far, with prolific contributors in Holiday and Bogdanovic now surrounding him.
On another note, his legacy will be far greater if he can successfully lead the Bucks to only their second title in franchise history rather than taking the easier route and bringing his talents elsewhere to join an already contending squad.
It is expected that the team will engage in more trades as the league delves deeper into the thick of the offseason in the coming weeks. For now, the ball is currently in Antetokounmpo's court and the rest of the NBA will see whether or not the trade moves were enough to convince him to stay in Milwaukee moving forward.
