Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo sent a loud message in his team's recent win against the Bulls. He threw down a windmill dunk in the final seconds as an expression of his frustration. As Giannis' frustration builds, the Pistons could have a chance to snag him in a blockbuster offseason trade.
Giannis' days as a Buck could be numbered
The Bucks have had a woeful season and currently sit at 11th place in the East. Giannis has missed his fair share of games with injury and the Bucks' performance in those games hasn't inspired any confidence. After the game against the Bulls, he reiterated the urgency in his team's season, even stating that "if we keep on losing...probably half the team won't be here".
His frustrations are obvious but he's unlikely to be moved until the offseason because of complications caused by the CBA. If the Bucks choose to move him then, the Pistons can go all in with a huge trade offer, possibly built around the following package:
It would pair Giannis with a true costar in Cade Cunningham. That could be a mutually beneficial partnership that gives Cade easy assists and feeds Giannis easy finishes. He would essentially fill into Duren's role on the team and add many elements that Duren can't reach.
For the Bucks, it would return a young player with clear All-Star or possibly even All-NBA potential in Duren. His meteoric rise this season should make him one of the more enticing returns that the Bucks can receive for Giannis. Along with another young talent in Ivey and multiple draft selections, the package should satisfy Milwaukee - especially given other teams' hesitation.
A hidden advantage for the Pistons would be trading Duren and Ivey before paying them on contract extensions that they might not be worth. It would have to be a sign-and-trade after signing them to new deals, but that can actually make the finances work better.
Obviously, Giannis is more of a proven commodity. He's proven himself worthy of his max contract and is a true NBA superstar in every sense. Rather than settling for lesser trade options, the Pistons might look his way if they feel that he can take them to title contention.
The Pistons also have the luxury of additional depth that can make up for the losses of Duren and Ivey. In this hypothetical scenario, Giannis would start at power forward while Isaiah Stewart slides into the starting center spot. It would actually be a solid fit offensively (due to Stewart's 3-point shooting) and an absolute nightmare on defense.
It seems unlikely now, but the Pistons might be set for a big move next offseason. If the impending bombshell of a Giannis trade request hits, the Pistons have a chance to take that huge swing.