According to reports from the Toronto Star, Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Toronto Raptors share mutual interest. Damian Lillard is expected to miss most of next season after suffering a season-ending Achilles tear. The 34-year-old sustained the injury during the Milwaukee Bucks' first-round playoff exit. The Bucks have no future draft capital and are in salary cap hell, so the idea of Giannis leaving makes sense.
But there's one reason the Bucks may hesitate to make this move. They don't own their first-round picks. This becomes problematic because when rebuilding a team, it's crucial to control your own destiny, look at the Brooklyn Nets this past season. That's where the Pelicans can come in.
Capitalizing on an unreal opportunity
The Giannis trade is an ideal chance for the Pelicans to capitalize, as they own the draft rights to swap picks with the Bucks in 2026 and 2027. This is thanks to the Jrue Holiday trade that took place in 2020. The Pelicans are in a spot where they'll be looking to compete next season, so trying to flip these picks as a third team in a Giannis deal could help add some win-now talent.
A trade package for Giannis coming from Toronto would look like Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl, Gradey Dick, the 9th overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft, and multiple future draft picks. New Orleans could come in and get some assets. To make a more win-now move, they could acquire Jakob Poeltl. Who's a bruising, dominant paint beast who loves to set hard screens and is more ready to compete with top-tier centers than Yves Missi is.
Instead of a win-now move, New Orleans could also be interested in adding another lottery pick and could pry away the 9th overall pick from Toronto. The Bucks would undoubtedly see way more value in not having a lottery pick this year but instead owning their picks in the following two seasons. Giving them the chance to build a roster around Scottie Barnes and Gradey Dick through both the 2026 and 2027 NBA drafts.
With the new NBA CBA being so strict on teams spending tons of money, it would be best if the Pels opted for the 9th pick over Poeltl. Being able to hit on draft picks is critical, as it provides excellent value by having quality players on such cheap contracts.
Whether the Bucks and Antetokounmpo decide to part ways, the Pelicans will decide how Milwaukee's future shapes up. If the Bucks decide against getting their first-round picks back in a Giannis trade, the Pels will have some incredible assets. But if they try to regain their picks, NOLA will get a substantial return.