The saga of Giannis Antetokounmpo being traded from the Milwaukee Bucks likely won’t occur until the summer. Or at least that’s the opinion of NBA insider Bobby Marks of ESPN.
“I do think eventually there’s going to be closure with the future of Giannis in Milwaukee here because I do think it’s run its course,” Marks said. “We’ve seen what the product is on the court right now. And we saw what it was in Denver the other night, Minnesota, San Antonio, it is a below-average product.
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It is at best a play-in ninth, 10th team,” Marks explained. “And instead of kicking the can down the road, how do you basically open up the market? Now what does the market look like here?
“When you look at the teams that monopolize draft picks, whether it be Brooklyn, Oklahoma City, or Utah. San Antonio, I do not see those as Giannis destinations here.
“Now, we can write about why all 29 teams should be in play or what they have to offer,” Marks continued. “And as great as Giannis is, and we did this with Luka [Doncic], when you look at what the market space could be, it starts to shrink.
“So, if it’s Minnesota that doesn’t have a first-round pick, and it’s New York that doesn’t have a first-round pick, and it has Miami, which has two first-round picks, the picks are not going to be what you might have thought they were.
“Now, when we get to the summer, your picks basically begin to multiply. The Lakers now have an additional two first-round picks. They’ll have 26, 31, and 33, I believe.”
The Bucks waiting for the summer to get the maximum return on draft picks is a likely scenario. This may not be what Antetokounmpo wants, but he most likely will finish his season in Milwaukee.
The only question that remains is whether Antetokounmpo will suit up again this season, or will self-diagnosed injuries keep him on the bench for the remainder of the year?
