Although the Milwaukee Bucks are not expected to trade superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo before the Feb. 5 deadline, the team is eyeing Sacramento Kings guards Zach LaVine and Malik Monk along with Portland Trail Blazers wing Jerami Grant.
“Multiple team and league sources say [Milwaukee] has been active in pursuing the trade market, engaging in internal conversations about, among others, Sacramento’s Zach LaVine, whom they have had interest in and chances to acquire in the past, and Malik Monk, as well as Portland’s Jerami Grant,” wrote ESPN’s Jamal Collier.
LaVine is making $47.5 million this season, with a $48.9 million player option for next season. Monk’s contract, however, is more easily acquirable, as he’s making $18.8 million this season. The final season of Monk’s deal is also a player option.
Meanwhile, Grant is earning $32 million this season, with $70.6 million owed to him through 2027-28, and the final season is a player option.
Bucks Have One Tradable First-Round Pick
Acquiring a player like LaVine for the Bucks would mean sending the Kings multiple players to match his salary, or potentially involving a third team to take on the salary.
In addition, Milwaukee has only one first-round pick, in either 2031 or 2032, available to trade.
Collier notes that the Bucks “have not made that pick available in trade discussions for the past year, and team and league sources do not believe they would do so now unless it was for a significant star.”
Milwaukee’s largest tradeable contracts outside of Antetokounmpo (three years, $175.3 million) and Myles Turner (four years, $108.8 million) include Bobby Portis (three years, $44 million), and Kyle Kuzma (two years, $40.7 million).
Per Spotrac, Antetokounmpo is signed to a guaranteed contract through the 2026-27 season with a player option for 2027-28, giving him significant leverage in the future.
Tradable Assets Will Increase At NBA Draft
If no trade deal is reached before the deadline, Collier said the Bucks’ tradable assets will “increase significantly at the draft, when they could have as many as three first-round picks available, in 2026, 2031, and 2033.”
However, doing nothing to field a competitive team could come at the cost of losing Antetokounmpo.
On Dec. 18, Antetokounmpo spoke to reporters for the first time since he suffered a right calf strain on Dec. 3 that sidelined him for eight straight games this month.
It would appear that the two-time NBA MVP is still committed to Milwaukee.
“I’m still locked in, locked in on my teammates,” he said. “And then, locked in on my teammates and how can I help them from the sideline or encourage them to be able to play and play free? Because at the end of the day, it takes a toll on them, too, right?”
The Bucks should continue building around Antetokounmpo to keep their veteran star happy.
