Milwaukee Bucks Aren't Giving Up on Building a Contender Around Giannis

The Milwaukee Bucks don’t look like they are going to be able to compete for an NBA title this season. Sure, most teams won’t, but the Bucks have Giannis Antetokounmpo on the roster. On top of that, Giannis made it clear to the team that if they can’t build a contender around him, he may be leaving for greener pastures. 

As of Tuesday, the Bucks are the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference, with a disappointing record of 11–16. Even with the Eastern Conference open for the taking, they don’t seem prepared to take advantage of the less competitive field. 

This has resulted in Giannis trade rumors picking up with each Bucks loss. 

However, a new report from Eric Nehm of The Athletic indicates that all of these trade rumors may be irrelevant. 

“While the outside noise may have fans of opposing teams drooling about the potential of adding Giannis Antetokounmpo to their roster, league sources told The Athletic the Bucks have told franchises they are looking to add to their roster in hopes of fortifying their struggling team in the week leading up to Dec. 15. That messaging could certainly change as the Feb. 5 trade deadline nears.”

While trading away your franchise superstar who is still in the middle of their prime hurts, the Bucks really need to consider it. They aren’t good enough to win it all again with Antetokounmpo. They also aren’t just a few small trades away, either. 

Unless Giannis signs an extension or tells the team he definitely isn’t going anywhere, the Bucks should trade him now. His value is as high as it will ever be, and the Bucks could benefit from starting the rebuilding process sooner rather than later.