For years, NBA fans, analysts, and particularly, ESPN's Shams Charania have speculated about Giannis Antetokounmpo's future. As usually happens with small-market teams, the narrative always seems to drive superstars toward brighter lights.
For the first time in his career, it feels like Giannis could actually be on the move. Doc Rivers is no longer in the building, Antetokounmpo missed extensive time with an injury, and this roster is clearly flawed.
Of course, the Bucks will only consider moving on from their superstar if they can get a king's ransom in return. And, with another disappointing postseason exit and a new regime in place, the Philadelphia 76ers might give them just that. In fact, they might give them a fresh start with a new star like V.J. Edgecombe.
Could the Bucks land V.J. Edgecombe in a wild three-team trade with the Sixers and Bulls?
The Sixers just fired Daryl Morey and will be looking for another decision-maker. Whoever takes the reins of the team will want to shed off some dead weight and make a statement with a new star. Hence, this transaction might be wild enough to work.
In this scenario, the Sixers and Chicago Bulls can team up to send Antetokounmpo to the City of Brotherly Love. The Bulls would absorb Paul George's big salary and get Ryan Rollins and the No. 22 pick (via PHI) for their trouble.
The Bucks would then get Patrick Williams, Isaac Okoro, Rob Dillingham, Jalen Smith, and V.J. Edgecombe with two first-round picks and one pick swap. Last but not least, Antetokounmpo would arrive in Philadelphia.
In this scenario, the Bucks would have to waive four players, with Williams among the strongest candidates. Then, they can probably land more draft assets by trading Bobby Portis, Kyle Kuzma, and Myles Turner.
Of course, watching Rudy Gobert, Mikal Bridges, and Desmond Bane go for most first-round selections might make fans feel unhappy with this potential return. However, given how much backlash front offices got for those moves, it's hard to believe any other team will willingly give up 4+ first-rounders in a trade.
In this scenario, the Bucks would get two first-round picks and a first-round pick swap while landing a potential franchise guy in Edgecombe, this year's No. 3 pick. They'd also get Dillingham, the No. 8 pick in 2024, who may only need an extended run to break out as the scoring machine he looked like in college.
The Bulls would get some financial relief by moving on from big contracts, and they can probably just buy out George. They'd also get another first-round pick to add to the two they already have in this year's draft, and Rollins is coming off an amazing season.
As for the Sixers, they'd get a reliable guy to pair with Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid, something they didn't get with George. Of course, losing Edgecombe will be a big blow, but they must make the most of Embiid's title window while it's still open.
This is a wild idea, but the NBA is a wild league, and this might be the closest to a win-win-win scenario among all teams that may want to get involved.
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