Assuming Antetokounmpo has made it abundantly clear that he wants to move on after his contract expires—opting out and leaving the Bucks with nothing in return—the franchise must get the best possible return for him now, with the decision coming before the upcoming NBA draft.
Antetokounmpo has some leverage by threatening to walk as an unrestricted free agent in 2027 if Milwaukee tries to send him to an undesirable location.
The Celtics give him a viable, competitive roster, but in this variation, the Bucks choose to reroute Brown, 30 in October, to the Hawks. Instead, Milwaukee gets younger wings on reasonable contracts like Risacher, the No. 1 pick in 2024, and Kuminga, drafted No. 7 by the Golden State Warriors in 2021. Kispert, No. 15 in 2021, is solid; Hield only has $3 million of his salary guaranteed.
Where the Bucks improve most is getting Nos. 8 and 23 from the Hawks, instead of No. 27 from the Celtics. In addition to the 2027 first from Boston, Milwaukee lands the 2029 first from Atlanta.
The Bucks have significant work to do in a post-Antetokounmpo world, but the path with the Hawks is better than taking on Brown’s expensive three-year deal with a team poorly suited to win around him. The team gets a small trade exception for Jackson and a first-apron hard cap for using the Antetokounmpo expanded traded player exception.
The larger question would be the competing offers from teams such as the Miami Heat, Portland Trail Blazers, Cleveland Cavaliers—not the theoretical ones we construct, but the actual menu of choices they can pick from over the next week or so. How does the combined offer from the Celtics and Hawks stack up with the rest?
The answer should be clear by June 23.
Email Eric Pincus at [email protected] and follow him on X @EricPincus and Bluesky.
