NBA Trade Proposal Sends Giannis Antetokounmpo To Spurs, Zion Williamson To Bucks

If Giannis Antetokounmpo requests a trade from the Milwaukee Bucks this offseason, David Aldridge of The Athletic proposed a trade idea between the Bucks, New Orleans Pelicans and San Antonio Spurs. 

Here is Aldridge’s trade idea: 

Bucks get: Zion Williamson, Keldon Johnson, 2025 first-round pick (Spurs, via Hawks), 2027 first-round pick swap rights (Pelicans), 2029 first-round pick (Spurs)

Pelicans get: Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan, Pat Connaughton, 2027 first-round pick (Spurs, via Hawks)

Spurs get: Giannis Antetokounmpo

“Go big or go home. If the Bucks have no choice but to trade Giannis, they make a multi-team deal that gets them a potential superstar to build around in the still-just-24-year-old Williamson and a rotational wing in Johnson,” Aldridge wrote. “Most importantly, they get a whole lot of future firsts to give them a chance to rebuild if Williamson can’t overcome his history of injuries, including a ’25 pick at the back of the lottery, and potential control of their own first back in ’27, just as Williamson is entering the last year of his current deal.

“New Orleans, after years of uncertainty, gets out of the Williamson business and moves on with a Strength in Numbers approach bolstered by Vassell’s offense chops and Sochan’s defense, adding to its young core of Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones, Yves Missi and the returning Dejounte Murray. The Pelicans also hold on to most of their cache of future firsts.

“The Spurs’ starting lineup next October would be De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, Harrison Barnes, Antetokounmpo and Victor Wembanyama. I’m guessing Chris Paul would re-up for one or two more seasons as Fox’s backup. They would have other players on their roster, too.”

Milwaukee signed Antetokounmpo to a three-year, $175 million extension in October 2023. Antetokounmpo will make $54,126,380 next season.

One of the top players in NBA history, Antetokounmpo averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.2 blocks for the Bucks this season. Milwaukee lost to the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the playoffs in five games. The franchise has won only one postseason series since winning the championship in 2021. 

Williamson appeared in 30 games for the Pelicans this season. He averaged 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists. The two-time All-Star has played in just 45% of his possible games with the Pelicans since being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.

The Pelicans signed Williamson to a five-year, $197 million extension in 2022. Williamson will make $39,446,090 next season.