Milwaukee Bucks, lagging behind Indiana Pisers, 3-1, risk losing a series of playoffs in the first round for the third season in a row. They are outside of any shadow of doubt stuck in the terrible middle of the NBA.
Or worse.
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Damian Lillard, their second best player, broke the tendon of the left Achilles, an injury that can cost him the only next season when they do not own their choice in the first round.
This means that Jiannis Antetokounmpo, their best player, was also stuck in the terrible middle of the NBA, or worse, and this is not a place for his teaching legend. Not a single superstar wants to devote the time that you need to get out of this. The loss takes its time to the legacy that Antetokounmpo is in the deadline of the script.
There were always excuses. When Bax lost to Boston Celtics in the semifinals of the eastern conference of 2022, Chrys Middleton was injured. Antetokounmpo missed the games at their exits in the first round of 2023 and 2024. And this time? Lillard returned from the problem of gagging blood for the game 2 against Pacers, only in order to get an ahilles injury in the game 4. Their absence was disguised by what became obvious at the same time: the money, even when healthy, is no longer a serious opponent.
In any case, Lillard’s injury exposed: all hope is lost. No reinforcements will come. There is no internal development, no changes around the register stripes can cure what is worried about the Miluoi. The championship window is closed. Bax can not feel either a draft or a choice in one in the foreseeable future.
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Antetokounmpo turned 30 in December. He finishes the five best in MVP, voting in the seventh season in a row and will make his seventh team of the first team of the first team. His peers in both respects are the Twolly.
And this year there are four since Baks raised his banner of the championship. Antetocaunmpo was ahead of his entire height. Now he can, following a number of problems with the knee, imagine this, even if it is over many years. He still finds ways to get better by adding a blow to his arsenal in the middle range.
There are few, except for the 3-guide that he can add to his game, and even this would not reduce the gap on the energy houses of the league. His healthy money could barely compete with the Indiana – the finalist of the conference – not to mention Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers or any opponent stirring from the west. The bucks did not score and did not defend themselves at the elite level. They demanded the greatness of Antetokounmpo to remain competitive.
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And there is no trade to expand the state of Miluoka. No one line up to exchange the best players for Kyle Kuza or a wounded 35-year-old. Due to their acquisitions by Jrue Holid in 2020, and then Lillard in 2023, the bucks do not control a single choice of the first round from 2025-30. They cannot sweeten any trading.
Assuming that Bobby Portis and Pat Connoton collect options for players who will pay them the next season in the amount of $ 22.9 million. USA, BAKS will owe $ 153.5 million. The predicted salary restriction is $ 154.6 million. And this is before Miluoki decides what to do with Brooke Lopez, the upcoming 37-year-old free agent.
Name someone on the bucks, in addition to Antetokounmpo, whose bilateral performances on the rise. Miluoi has identified two useful players in the draft since the choice of Antetokounmpo on the 15th in the overall standings in 2013 – Malcolm Brogdon and Donta Diventchenzo – and the organization allowed both to save money.
Without attraction, in order to hire more attractive free agents, elections to make some kind of update in the project or in the trading market, and players who should fight, how is it currently compiled, what should bucks do then?
They are stuck, and when you are stuck, you consider unimaginable: trading two temporary MVP. This can be the worst nightmare of the general manager, but Milwaukee Brass has just provided John Horst.
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Why trade Antetokounmpo? This success in Miluoi took its course. Its auxiliary cast has become too old. Repeatedly hit your head from the playoff ceiling in the first round is a bad service for everyone who considers the championships the only goal, including Antetokounmpo, which said the same. Repeatedly.
“I’m trying to win the second ring,” he recently said on his brother’s podcast. “Everyone plays to win, but I did not have the second championship? I look back at my career, and everyone can say: “He had an incredible career, the Glory Hall of the first cylinder”, “Anything, but I, my personal goal, if I can’t help my team win the second ring, I let myself go. I really want to win the second. I hope I do it. “
A three -year extension of the contract for $ 175 million, which Antetokounmpo signed in 2023, begins in July, which means “Bax” Could Run it back once or twice as much – before Antetokounmpo can refuse in 2027. For what purpose? Another year, Antetokounmpo will have only one guaranteed season in his transaction, and not a single team wants to exchange their future for a year lease. The delay in the transaction simply wins his trading market. Remember: Toronto Raptors allocated only one draft in the first round for Kawhi Leonard in 2018.
Miluoi wants to maximize his return. This is not Dallas Mavericks, engaged in Luke Donchich for cents on the dollar. Give a bucks every choice of the first round that you have, plus all your young talents, otherwise you will not get one of the three best players in the entire NBA-one of the few real developers of the difference in the game.
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To maximize his profit, Miluoi must trade Antetokounmpo now before he requested trade.
And for Antetokounmpo there would be no doubt to request trade this summer. Also, it cannot interpret these recent comments from him (in a joke) after the Donchich transaction – “I want all Europeans to go to all large markets To see something incredible ” – as more serious than he gave.
Open the tenders of the entire league. Even if Antetokounmpo now requests trading, any team can convince itself that when it is two years, it can sell Antetokounmpo in its city. Brooklyn will come to call. He has elections, not players to offer, as well as the market. Miami was preparing for this scenario before. He has Tyler Herro or Bam Adebayo or, damn, both for trade, as well as a lot of capital project.
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Think more. What if this season the “thunder of Oklahom -City” will not reach its championship goal? Or what if the Houston missiles lose in the first round? No teams are better equipped with drafts and young talents. Miluoi can simply compress a more encouraging future from a brutal war.
With this, Antetokounmpo will get a chance for the revival of the championship. He could climb the stairs all the time, closer to the top 10. Opportunities, at least over the next two seasons, if it is healthy, endless. Who would not like for Antetokounmpo, who gave all the Miluoi where his journey began to the global superstar – and the smoothies that come with him – began.
It was sad to see the buck to see how he was leaving. He lifted them to the heights that they have not seen in 50 years, since the time of Karim Abdul-Jabbar. It can be another 50 years before they see them again. Return for Antetokounmpo should speed up the process. But this process should begin now. It’s time to peel off.
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