Atlanta Hawks Brooklyn Nets Memphis Grizzlies Milwaukee Bucks NBA Portland Trail Blazers Sacramento Kings

Last-Ditch Milwaukee Bucks Trade Targets To Keep Giannis Antetokounmpo

James PierceyJanuary 14, 2026January 14, 2026

Giannis Antetokounmpo 'Intrigued' About Potentially Winning Championship With New York Knicks NBA Milwaukee Bucks

Patrick McDermott/Getty Images

The Milwaukee Bucks have reached an uneasy point in their season. Tuesday’s 139–106 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves marked Milwaukee’s 18th defeat in its past 27 games, a stretch that has steadily eroded both momentum and patience. By halftime, with the Bucks trailing 76–45, the frustration inside Fiserv Forum spilled into the open, as fans voiced their displeasure with a chorus of boos.

What followed underscored how unsettled things have become. After converting a shot in the paint and drawing a foul in the second half, Giannis Antetokounmpo responded to the crowd with a pair of thumbs-down gestures and an audible boo of his own — a reaction he later acknowledged was unusual, not because of the act itself, but because it came at home.

Antetokounmpo said afterward he did not recall being booed by Milwaukee fans before, but the distinction did not alter his response. He pushed back against the idea that fatigue explained the Bucks’ sluggish performance, instead pointing to effort and focus, even as head coach Doc Rivers cited tired legs.

The exchange captured the broader dynamic surrounding the Bucks: a team with championship expectations stuck in neutral, a fan base growing restless, and a franchise star navigating an increasingly complicated moment. Milwaukee remains just outside the Eastern Conference play-in picture, but the hole created by its recent stretch has made the margin for error razor thin.

Against that backdrop, questions about direction — and how aggressively the Bucks must act to stabilize their present — have become harder to avoid.

A Narrowing Path Forward

The Bucks’ challenge is not ambition. It is leverage. Years of win-now decisions have stripped Milwaukee of the draft capital typically required to chase pristine, top-of-market upgrades. As trade speculation around Antetokounmpo intensifies, the organization finds itself with fewer clean options to meaningfully reshape the roster around its superstar.

That reality points toward a different approach: identifying players whose value is suppressed by contract size, team context, or perception — and betting that proximity to Antetokounmpo can unlock more than the rest of the league currently sees.

If Milwaukee chooses that route, here are five buy-low targets who could realistically alter the Bucks’ trajectory.

Zach LaVine, Sacramento Kings

Zach LaVine remains one of the league’s most polarizing scorers. His efficiency and shot-making are undeniable, yet winning outcomes have rarely followed at the team level.

LaVine has averaged 19.9 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 28 games this season. Sacramento’s struggles have kept his market cooler than his production might suggest, continuing a career-long disconnect between numbers and results.

Milwaukee would offer a different structure. LaVine would not be asked to drive the offense. Instead, he would operate as a secondary creator, punishing defensive attention drawn toward Antetokounmpo and stabilizing scoring during non-Giannis minutes.

The commitment would be substantial. LaVine is owed $47.5 million in 2025–26, followed by a $49.0 million player option in 2026–27, leaving little flexibility if injuries or defensive concerns resurface. The upside is real. So is the risk.

Jerami Grant, Portland Trail Blazers

If Milwaukee is searching for balance rather than a pure scoring swing, Jerami Grant stands out as a pragmatic option.

Grant has averaged 20.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 26 games this season for a Portland team firmly in rebuild mode. Around the league, he is increasingly framed as a “gettable” big wing — valuable on the court, but weighed down by a long, expensive contract that has softened Portland’s leverage.

That contract cuts both ways. Grant is owed more than $100 million over the next three seasons, including a player option in the final year. For the Bucks, that money limits future flexibility, but Grant fills a long-standing need: a legitimate 3/4 who can space the floor, attack closeouts, and defend across matchups without demanding the ball.

Kristaps Porziņģis, Atlanta Hawks

This option is less intuitive — and more situational. Kristaps Porziņģis has averaged 17.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 17 games this season, but his value is as much financial as it is basketball-related.

Porziņģis is effectively on a $30.7 million expiring deal in 2025–26, making him useful as a short-term swing or a salary-matching piece in larger trade constructions. He often appears in league-wide scenarios less as a primary target and more as a tool.

On the floor, the fit is unconventional but intriguing. A frontcourt featuring Antetokounmpo, Myles Turner, and Porziņģis would give Milwaukee extreme length and spacing, aligning with the league’s renewed emphasis on size. Availability and mobility remain concerns, but the contract structure limits long-term downside.

Michael Porter Jr., Brooklyn Nets

If Milwaukee is serious about securing a true long-term co-star rather than a stopgap, Michael Porter Jr. represents one of the clearest ceiling-raising options.

Porter has averaged 25.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in 30 games this season, producing at an All-Star level as a high-volume, high-efficiency scorer. At 6-foot-10, he fits the archetype Milwaukee has lacked: a wing defenders cannot help off, capable of thriving off Antetokounmpo’s gravity.

He is owed approximately $38.3 million in 2025–26 and $40.8 million in 2026–27, keeping him under team control through the heart of Giannis’ prime. The risks are familiar — chronic back concerns, streaky defense, and the danger of long-term money if availability dips — but the upside is difficult to ignore.

Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies

If Porter represents a calculated gamble, Ja Morant is the high-variance alternative.

Milwaukee has checked in on Morant as Memphis has opened the door to talks, marking the first firm link between the Bucks and the former All-NBA guard. Morant is under contract through 2027–28, with salaries escalating from roughly $39 million into the mid-$40s, providing multiple years of control.

On the court, the upside remains undeniable. Morant has averaged 19.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 7.6 assists in 18 games this season, underscoring the star-level creation that appeals to Milwaukee.

The risks are substantial. Injury concerns, past suspensions, and questions about fit alongside Antetokounmpo — neither is a natural off-ball shooter — would place immense pressure on roster construction. A Morant pursuit would represent Milwaukee’s boldest possible swing, reshaping the offense while embracing volatility.

The Reality for Milwaukee

None of these paths are clean. That is the cost of waiting.

With limited draft capital and a narrowing competitive window, the Bucks are no longer choosing between safe options. They are choosing between risk profiles. LaVine offers scoring at a premium cost. Grant provides balance with long-term financial consequences. Porziņģis brings flexibility and volatility. Porter Jr. offers a true second-star ceiling. Morant represents the ultimate swing.

What unites them is urgency.

If Milwaukee intends to keep Antetokounmpo — and remain relevant while doing so — it may have to embrace distressed value and trust that proximity to a generational force can still tilt outcomes. Standing still may no longer be the safest option.