NBA Trade Rumors: Bulls Could Acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo For Markkanen, Carter Jr., White, And Young
In the past few months, rumors have been swirling around reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and his future with the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks haven’t shown any indication that they are planning to move Antetokounmpo, but if they fail to convince him to sign a massive contract extension this fall, they could be forced to listen to trade offers for their best player. One team that could express strong interest in acquiring the “Greek Freak” is the Chicago Bulls.
In a recent article, Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report created a list of the best trade packages “every non-bubble team” could offer to the Bucks in exchange for Antetokounmpo. To bring the “Greek Freak” to the Windy City, Swartz suggested that the Bulls could send Lauri Markkanen, Wendell Carter Jr., Coby White, and Thaddeus Young to Milwaukee.
The proposed deal would make a lot of sense for the Bucks if they are planning to undergo a rebuilding process. In exchange for Antetokounmpo, they would receive two talented big men who could fill the huge hole that he would be leaving in their frontcourt.
“When healthy, Carter is one of the best young centers in the NBA. The 21-year-old projects as a terrific defender and averaged 11.3 points, 9.4 rebounds and 0.8 blocks on 53.4 percent shooting this season. With Brook Lopez on the backside of his career at age 32, Carter could take over the starting job sooner rather than later. Markkanen would likely become the Bucks’ starting power forward, a 23-year-old 7-footer that can space the floor and dribble-drive. He regressed in his third season following a breakout sophomore season and could benefit from Mike Budenholzer’s coaching.”
Aside from acquiring two big men, the Bucks would also get a high-usage scoring guard in White and a veteran forward in Young. However, if they want to convince Milwaukee to engage in a blockbuster deal, they might also need to sacrifice some of their future draft assets.
Antetokounmpo would undeniably be an incredible acquisition for the Bulls. Pairing him with Zach LaVine would strengthen their chances of ending their playoff drought and making a huge noise in the Eastern Conference next year. The potential arrival of Antetokounmpo would tremendously improve their performance on both ends of the floor, giving them a very reliable scoring option, rebounder, facilitator, and defender.
However, before pushing through with the trade, they would first need to get an assurance from Antetokounmpo that he intends to stay long term in Chicago. If he declines to give a commitment, the Bulls are better off targeting another superstar or just focus on developing their current core.
