It’s hard to see how the Milwaukee Bucks can dig themselves out of the hole they’ve gotten themselves into. Even with Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks have struggled to keep their heads above water.
It’s becoming apparent that Milwaukee has two options at this point: try to get some upgrades or sell off Giannis for the most assets they can. It has recently been announced which route they plan to take.
What Do the Bucks Plan to Do?
With the team’s struggles being too noticeable to ignore, an old report from ESPN’s Shams Charania from October regarding Antetokounmpo’s interest in joining the New York Knicks resurfaced. Antetokounmpo hasn’t requested a trade yet, but many have kept a close eye on what the Bucks plan to do next.
The Athletic’s Eric Nehm revealed that the Bucks’ preference for the time being is to continue riding the wave with Antetokounmpo. More than that, they want to add some help.
“Five months after the Milwaukee Bucks’ stunning decision to waive Damian Lillard en route to adding big man Myles Turner on a four-year, $107 million deal, it appears they aren’t waving the white flag on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future in Milwaukee just yet,” Nehm wrote. “Instead, league sources said they’re considering making yet another significant addition that might aid their chances of convincing him to stay.”
But who could the Bucks look into? Nehm added who the team has looked into (from a different report).
“With that in mind, it should come as no surprise that, as The Athletic confirmed this week, they’ve done due diligence on the Sacramento Kings’ Zach LaVine recently (and have shown interest in him in the past),” Nehm wrote.
Today is the unofficial start to NBA trade season, so here is what I’m hearing about how the Bucks have positioned themselves in the lead-up to Dec. 15.
At @TheAthletic: https://t.co/xHUULPLegs
— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) December 15, 2025
That is an interesting route to take, as LaVine’s talent is unquestionable, and he would fill in the void left by Lillard. However, he is grossly overpaid for what he does, as his lack of playoff experience speaks for itself. He’s in the fourth year of a five-year, $215 million contract and has a player option that he will definitely exercise.
In short, he’s a good player on a bad contract. However, desperate times call for desperate measures, so that’s the kind of player the Bucks should look into, as it’s likely that LaVine would have next to no trade value. He would likely come at the cost of Bobby Portis and Kyle Kuzma, but the Bucks need to do something to get back on track because these Antetokounmpo rumors won’t die down until they do.
It’s not a good situation for Milwaukee at the moment, and there’s no easy solution for the Antetokounmpo problem. However, even if a title feels out of reach for them, the Bucks should feel good if they go down swinging.
