The Milwaukee Bucks have been in the trade rumor mill in recent weeks surrounding superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is currently out due to injury. Teams around the league have been putting together their best offers for the disgruntled star ahead of Thursday's trade deadline, but now, it seems that a move is not going to happen.
“The Milwaukee Bucks have indicated to teams that they are keeping Giannis Antetokounmpo through the trade deadline and will start making other trades, sources tell ESPN,” reported Shams Charania of ESPN on X, formerly Twitter.
It's certainly an interesting decision for a Milwaukee team that currently has virtually no chance of competing in the playoffs in the Eastern Conference given their roster construction. As previously mentioned, Antetokounmpo is currently sidelined due to an injury, and it's certainly worth considering whether sitting him down for the rest of the year might be in Milwaukee's best interest, if they do end up keeping him past Thursday's trade deadline.
If the Bucks were to tank this year, they could end up with a valuable draft pick next spring, even though they'll be getting the less favorable selection of their own pick and that of the New Orleans Pelicans, which will be on its way to the Atlanta Hawks.
However, the idea of adding a blue-chip prospect to pair alongside Antetokounmpo might be enough to convince the Greek Freak to stay. The Bucks could also wait until the summer, when teams might be able to make more lucrative offers for Antetokounmpo.
The deadline is set for Thursday at 3:00 pm ET.
