Should the Raptors trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo?
Here we go again. The will they/won’t they storyline of the Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo has a new chapter. Though this one looks to be the last. Late Wednesday morning, Shams Charania of ESPN reported that the two-time MVP is “ready for a new home at the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline or in the offseason as several rival teams make aggressive offers to the Milwaukee Bucks for him, and the franchise is starting to listen…”
Now we could spend all day dissecting and questioning the wording of Charania’s report, which when it comes to Antetokounmpo always seem intentionally vague. But instead, we have a far more meaningful question to dissect: Should the Raptors be one of those ‘rival teams’ calling the Milwaukee Bucks?
In Charania’s report, he says that the Bucks organization is not “in a rush to complete a move… if it’s believed price point of a blue-chip young talent and/or a surplus of draft picks isn’t met…”
That’s fair. Antetokounmpo isn’t like the other flawed talent (re: Sabonis, Morant, Davis) that’s been on the market. He’s a bonafide superstar, he’s just turned 31 years old, and he’s proven his ability to win at the highest level.
Given those factors, it’s reasonable for the Bucks to ask for a king’s ransom in return, and with the Eastern Conference wide open, why shouldn’t rival teams look to add a top-3 player in the NBA?
We all understand what he brings to the table, he’s an unstoppable downhill force, relentlessly attacking the rim, dunking all over whoever stands in his way. He’s a one-man wrecking crew on the defensive end, covering incredible ground with his length and agility. And he’s one of the few players in the NBA that you can single-handedly engineer an offense around his gravity. He would certainly help the Raptors’ rim protection, rebounding, and would boost their offensive efficiency, but still, I’m just not sold.
I think when we discuss trades for superstars like Antetokounmpo, you can throw team needs out the window. Sure the Raptors could use bench scoring, or shooting, or a big man, but that shouldn’t matter. When this caliber of player becomes available, you do the deal and figure out the rest later. The question isn’t whether Antetokounmpo ‘fits’, it’s “do you believe that you can build an NBA contender while Antetokounmpo is still playing at this level?”
It’s a question that becomes even more complicated when you consider what the Raptors have to give up in a potential trade given what the Bucks are reportedly asking for. Will they have enough assets leftover to shape the roster around Antetokounmpo? Do they even have enough to make a trade in the first place?
If the cost is a “blue-chip young talent” and/or “a surplus of draft picks” it’s somewhat difficult for Toronto to make that trade given the necessity to also match his large 54 million dollar salary. They have the picks. But the Bucks would undoubtedly ask for Scottie Barnes first, and trading him is by far the easiest road, but I would hang up the phone and block the number if that’s the price. Barnes is on the road to a top-3 DPOY finish, is under contract for the next four seasons, and loves Toronto. No way am I sending him out the door, even for Antetokounmpo.
So where does that leave the Raptors? If the Bucks desire proven young talent the only player on the Raptors who kind of matches that description is Collin Murray-Boyles (and he’s still got a lot to prove). Then you also have to add in the salary to make it work. Which is where this falls apart. Do they want Brandon Ingram? Maybe. But even then the Raptors have to make up even more salary and throw in all of their picks to outbid other suitors. And if for whatever reason Milwaukee agrees, then the Raptors get Antetokounmpo, but are left with an imperfect roster and relatively few avenues to retool around a Barnes-Antetokounmpo duo (imagine the defense though). If the question is “can the Raptors build a contender while Antetokounmpo is playing at this level?” The answer is no.
I used to dream about Antetokounmpo on the Raptors, but things were different then. The roster was a better fit at a time where Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, and Pascal Siakam would be his potential running mates. The idea of trading Barnes then was far more palatable too, given he had an unproven track record. But now? I think the Raptors should sit this one out. Things are trending upwards for the first time in years, and the cost would be far too high for someone who overlaps far too much with the face of the franchise. It’s time for the Bucks to end the Giannis Antetokounmpo chapter of their story, but the Raptors shouldn’t be writing the sequel.
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