Luka Doncic heading to the Los Angeles Lakers is a class of trades that feels like it was negotiated and executed over happy hour. Then, De’Aaron Fox went from franchise cornerstone to San Antonio Spurs in five days. The events of the last week have not only shaken up the league but challenged our perception of what was once thought to be possible at the trade deadline. More transient rosters as a result of shorter max contracts and luxury tax penalties have destabilized the league and accelerated timelines.
The Milwaukee Bucks have been stuck in place all season. In the next few days, the hope is that a dramatic trade can shift their fortunes. After a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday, Giannis Antetokounmpo divulged his own dream trade..
"You know what I want? I want Luka to the Lakers, I want Nikola Jokic to the New York Knicks, I want all the Europeans to go to all the big markets to see something incredible," Antetokounmpo said, per The Athletic’s Eric Nehm. "This is what I want, this is my dream, but again, I wish both teams the best of luck with their journey moving forward."
It’s probably a bad time to mention that Antetokounmpo is also a European star in a small market. Either way, the Bucks front office can read between the lines. The Bucks were conspicuously absent from Antetokounmpo’s answer even if it was in jest. The Bucks are limited in tradable assets, however, in this brave new world anything is possible. Let’s examine several other dream trades (offers) that could uplift the struggling Bucks. Closed mouths don’t get fed and the trade deadline is a buffet.
Let's explore the depths of the trade market rabbit hole.
Khris Middleton and a current/future 2nd round pick for Nikola Vučević
The Bulls are finally in demolition mode. Khris Middleton has more rings around his trunk than he should, but the 34-year-old Nikola Vučević is still a 6-foot-10 redwood with deft scoring prowess. This season, he’s averaging nearly 20 points and 10 boards, where he’s hovered around for the past eight seasons. Vučević can also stretch the floor through passes well in the high post and is averaging nearly four assists per game. The Bulls finally appear set on escaping their .500 purgatory and Vučević is only playing on a $20 million deal. Middleton is an ideal tank starter or buyout candidate next summer for a franchise that needs to bounce back from rock bottom.
Six years ago, the Raptors acquired a then-34-year-old Marc Gasol to upgrade their center position en route to a title. The NBA universe is cyclical. Whether Vučević can uplift Milwaukee alongside Antetokounmpo in the same manner is up for debate, but a significant upgrade offensively over Lopez. He can be a mismatch against small-ball lineups, but on the flip side, he suffers on switches.
Conversely, Vučević is nowhere near the All-NBA caliber defender that Gasol or Lopez have been. The Bucks long-time starting center is two years older, but the addition of Vučević would give the Bucks a tertiary scorer to replace Middleton’s feeble production. Most importantly, he’s durable. Vučević played at least 73 games in each of the last three seasons and has only missed one this campaign.
Cobble together a package for Jonathan Isaac
In terms of reliability and style of player, Jonathan Isaac is the complete opposite of Vučević. A few years ago, Isaac was a special defensive talent and future Defensive Player of the Year. He’s had a litany of medical issues, and become a controversial figure around the league, however, this season he’s finally playing injury-free basketball for the first time. Yet, Isaac’s stock is still high enough that Victor Wembanyama named him alongside Kawhi Leonard and Rudy Gobert as three of the most tenacious defenders in the league. However, on the offensive end he is having his worst year as a pro and there are worries abound that he has regressed. The Orlando Magic are also stacked on the wing with young forward talent. For those reasons, Isaac could be pried off their payroll in a two or three-team deal for the right assets.
The Bucks should roll the dice on a 27-year-old with some upside on both ends if no better deals come along. This season, Isaac is slumping. He is currently shooting a disgustingly poor 26 percent from beyond the arc, and 41.7 percent overall, but that is well below the 37 percent mark he shot from downtown and 51 percent on all shots that he averaged a year ago.
Most players let this one go for an easy two, not Jonathan Isaacpic.twitter.com/osY4mvGLdO
— Adam Koffler (@AdamKoffler) February 1, 2025
The best-case scenario is that they unlock a 6-foot-10, All-Defense wing who can also play center, defend the rim, rediscover his form, and stretch the floor. The risk factor is also mitigated because the only guaranteed seasons of the five-year $84 million contract he signed in July.
are in its first two years.
Damian Lillard and 2031 1st rounder for Ja Morant
Hear me out…Ja Morant is a polarizing player with some recent troubles, but a bonafide talent. He’s still a subpar shooter from beyond the arc, though he still has access to gravity-defying athleticism that few other humans can unlock. Under normal circumstances, Morant would be a sacred cow. However, the trade of Doncic is another sign that we are living in a ‘what have you done for me lately’ world. Doncic led the Mavs to an NBA Finals last season.
His 2023 season might as well be five years ago. Morant’s stock is low right now. He’s averaging his fewest points since his second-year in the league, his field goal percentage is at the lowest of his career, and he's coming off a season that began with a lengthy suspension, and ended with a season-ending injury. Let's say a piece is being warmed up in the bullpen detailing more issues behind the scenes with Morant and the Grizzlies seek a more mature star.
Lillard and Morant are peers when healthy, but Lillard is a steadier hand while Morant’s athleticism and volatile youth (he’s nine years younger than Lillard) make him more dynamic. What they lose in shooting they make up for in playmaking and rim action.
Antetokounmpo also gets a running partner through the end of his prime. Doncic had issues staying in shape, but Morant’s durability has also been a concern. He’s got a slight frame and plays above the rim. Will it lead to a title? Probably not in 2025, but it gives them more of a runway past this year. It’s only downhill from here for Dame. This trade probably only happens if Jon Horst and Zach Kleiman don’t sober up before sending it into the league office though.