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3 players + 7 first round, after Lillard is injured, the Thunder can propose a plan to trade Antetokounmpo

1:10pm, 30 April 2025【Basketball】

The Thunder have enough draft picks to trade Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Milwaukee Bucks point guard Damian Lillard was injured in Game 4 of the first round of the NBA playoffs, which could herald the end of his partner with Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Lillard suffered a left leg injury in a 103-129 loss to the Bucks, with early reports saying he might have a torn Achilles tendon. The Bucks are currently trailing 1-3 in the series and will be out in the first round of the playoffs for the third straight time if they lose one more game.

Antetokounmpo has always emphasized the desire for victory and hopes that the winning players will surround you. Without Lillard, the Bucks lost that, and the former MVP player could make a trade request in the offseason.

If Antetokounmpo really wants to leave, the Bucks will ask him to pay a huge ransom. No team offers more in the trade than the Oklahoma City Thunder, so they are likely to be the team that trades “Greek Monsters.”

Thunder's trading advice on Giannis Antetokounmpo

Thunders won: Giannis Antetokounmpo

Bucks won: Isaiah Haltenstein, Alex Caruso, Nikola Topik, 2025 first-round draft pick (from the Heat), 2025 first-round draft pick (from the Clippers draft pick swap), 2025 first-round draft pick (from the 76ers), 2026 first-round draft pick (from the Jazz), 2026 first-round draft pick, 2027 first-round draft pick (from the Nuggets), 2029 first-round draft pick (from the Nuggets)

Note: Due to the renewal of Alex Caruso, these teams must wait until June 22 to make this deal.

The Thunder do not necessarily need Antetokounmpo. They have the NBA best record this season, and considering they just swept the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round, they will likely win the NBA Finals easily. The team is led by MVP hotline Shea Gilgers-Alexander, but they also have incredible roster depth and a large number of future draft picks.

In fact, the Thunder have more draft capital than any other team in the league. So much so that they can make a big deal while still keeping enough money to replenish the roster through drafts in the coming years.

Trading Antetokounmpo may require more draft picks than any previous NBA trade. However, the Thunder should not be afraid to sacrifice extra draft picks, because Antetokounmpo is such a special player.

In this deal, seven first-round picks and three potential rotation players are required to complete the deal. Antetokounmpo remains one of the best players in the NBA. He has won the MVP twice and won the NBA Finals MVP once. On the offensive end, Antetokounmpo has no one to defend in the interior area; on the defensive end, he is an elite player who can defend the inside and outside.

The Thunders performed well in the double-big lineups of Isaiah Haltenstein and Chet Homgren, but Antetokounmpo's joining will greatly enhance the team's strength. He can also make up for the loss from trading Alex Caruso's defensive end.

Last year's 12th overall pick Nikola Topik also participated in the deal to increase the appeal of the offer. While the Thunder valued his potential, the team has proven that they can thrive even without him. The prospective rookie missed his entire season with injuries.

The deal seems unnecessary for the Thunder, especially if they eventually win the championship. However, the rich may get richer and if Antetokounmpo asks for a deal, the team can bid higher than any other team to fight for him. Should the

The Bucks start the rebuild and trade Giannis Antetokounmpo? When the Bucks win the NBA Finals in 2021, it looks like they will remain competitive for the next few years. However, they lost twice in the Western Conference semi-finals and in the first round. It seems that the third consecutive first round was just around the corner.

The teams need to make changes a few offseasons, so they traded to Lillard. He was supposed to form the NBA's best duo with Antetokounmpo, but that was not the case, and now the team is facing change again.

Antetokounmpo's desire for victory is evident in his career remarks. So no one would be surprised if he made a deal request.

Trading this team superstar is not easy for the Bucks, but if they have to do so, they should try a trade with the Thunder. Since the Thunder traded Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for a large number of young players and draft capital, everyone has seen how powerful the Thunder’s lineup is.

The deal with Oklahoma City may also bring similar opportunities to Milwaukee. Under this trading scheme, five of the seven first-round picks the Bucks will receive will be produced in the next two NBA drafts, so the team can start the reconstruction immediately. The Bucks have very few draft picks left, so adding so much draft pick capital will be extremely attractive. The

team also added three new players with strong strength. Hartenstein and Caruso's contract will last for many years, meaning that when the Bucks are ready to fight again, they may still be on the team, or they have enough trading value in exchange for more draft pick capital.

Topik is also a player worth adding. The 2024 rookie lineup is weak, but Topike was signed by Lotto last year and once he is ready to play, he may become one of the best players of the same class.

In short, trading Antetokounmpo is not easy for the Bucks, but if he has to be traded, there is no better deal than the Thunder.. Oklahoma City can offer so many conditions that even if Antetokounmpo ultimately doesn’t make a trade request, the Milwaukee Bucks have to consider trading him.