When Damian Lillard came to Milwaukee, the expectations went through the roof. However, the Bucks couldn’t replicate the same, instead went crashing out in the first round of the playoffs. Going into this season, they are expected to be one of the better teams in a stacked Eastern Conference. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Dame are expected to lead the line, but this could drastically change if the duo fails to perform.

Many of us would assume if anything goes down, Damian Lillard’s name would pop up first for trade talks, and this is true to some extent. However, Giannis could also follow suit. The star himself has acknowledged to The Athletic- he “might get traded” if the Bucks don’t win the championship this year. However, they would not want to lose Giannis and are doing everything to ensure that their superstar is happy at Milwaukee.

A trade rumor has come up in the current scenario with Jake Fischer reporting that the Bucks are interested in trading a youngster. NBACentral tweeted the rumor quoting, “The Bucks have informed rival teams of Milwaukee’s early interest in trading MarJon Beauchamp, sources said. Beauchamp, a G League Ignite product, could help the Bucks acquire a defensive-minded wing.” But, according to other sources, this trade is supposed to make room for bringing back a familiar face to the team.

Yes, it could provide room to bring Giannis’ brother, Thanasis, back into the mix. As per Keith Smith, “Milwaukee has some interest in re-signing locker room favorite Thanasis Antetokounmpo, a league source told @spotrac.”

Even though Thanasis is still recovering from an Achilles injury, missing the Paris Olympics too, and will most likely not impact Milwaukee’s entire coming season, he is a free agent and the Bucks prioritizes keeping their biggest asset, Giannis, happy.

What can happen if the Bucks don’t perform as per the expectations?

Giannis Antetokounmpo is entering his 12th year in the league, with the Greek Freak turning 30 on December 6th. This means his prime years are more precious than ever. During his time in Milwaukee, he’s won only a single Championship and that was three years back. It has been 4 years since he last won the MVP title too. The upcoming season will be crucial for both Giannis and the Bucks. Last season was a mess as Coach Griffin was fired and also had some tension with the hooper.

They could not proceed to the latter stages of the Playoffs for the 2nd season running. Notably, the hooper acknowledged the fact that this season might be the last, busting the long-term success and franchise loyalty myth. While speaking with The Athletic, Giannis said, “If we don’t win a championship, I might get traded. Yeah, this is the job we live in. This is the world we’re living in.”

This could happen if Damian Lillard struggles in his 2nd year for the franchise and they fail to make a deep run into the playoffs, then the trade calls will start to come. Giannis Antetokounmpo continued to speak on a much more serious note saying, “It’s the profession that we’re in. At any given moment, if you don’t succeed, that might be it for us.” 

The solution to the problem is quite clear. The Bucks will have to live up to their hype, even with so much uncertainty around the team, they will have to deliver. Anything less than a deep playoff run will bring questions to the table, with a massive payroll of $193 million. The aforementioned duo are the highest-paid players on the roster, exceeding the salary cap by nearly $53 million.

However, the Eastern Conference has so many heavyweights such as the defending champs, the Knicks, and the Sixers, all made big moves during the offseason. Do you think the Bucks can take this challenge and make it deep into the Playoffs?