NBA Mock Trade: Nets Acquire Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo

A former two-time MVP reportedly fancies Brooklyn. Could a deal be done between the two teams?

Oct 27, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

With the Milwaukee Bucks now 1-3 following three-straight losses — one to the Brooklyn Nets themselves — questions are beginning to swirl about superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future with the franchise.

The Bucks will of course have time to make up ground on the Eastern Conference, but one report has already surfaced that the Greek Freak could be looking to greener pastures already: one being Brooklyn.

There’s plenty of reasons why a Nets and Bucks deal would be an uphill battle, starting with Antetokounmpo’s deal and Brooklyn's newly-started rebuild. But we’ll at least examine the logistics behind what a trade would look like:

Brooklyn Nets get: Giannis Antetokounmpo, MarJon Beauchamp

Milwaukee Bucks get: Nic Claxton, Cameron Johnson, 2025 Nets FRP, 2027 Nets FRP, 2029 Nets FRP, 2031 Nets FRP, Picks swaps in 2026, 2028, 2030

For starters, there’s countless deals better than this one that Milwaukee could fetch on the open market. But Antetokounmpo is one of a few players in the league with a no-trade clause, so that does put Brooklyn in play, if he so desires.

Nic Claxton and Cam Johnson are both the team’s best assets and offer similar salary to Antetokounmpo, so in the deal they go.

We’ve not yet seen a deal of this magnitude — a former MVP who’s signed on through the 2027-28 season. We’ve seen as many as four picks dealt for players like Mikal Bridges, so Antetokounmpo’s value may not even be reachable, as the present moment.

Still, four unprotected firsts — the last coming in 2031 — and three swaps can certainly close the gap some.

Our mock trade did its best, but overall, a real-life deal doesn’t make much sense. Even if Brooklyn acquired Antetokounmpo, its roster likely wouldn’t be good enough to make a splash in the East. And the Bucks could likely do better to add young up-and-coming talent than the Nets’ pieces, even from Miami.

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Nets on SI on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Nets news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.