With the Chicago Bulls missing the playoffs for a third consecutive season, attention now turns to the offseason and how they might retool the roster.
The opening round of the playoffs can be pivotal, shaping the direction of both franchises and individual players weighing their future.
Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is a name that continues to circle the league, insider Howard Beck shared on the “Zach Lowe show.”
“I poked around a little bit a few days ago, and the initial thing I got from one person was just some rumblings that it’s already just the big cities,” Beck said. “It’s one of the LA teams or one of the New York teams or maybe Miami, [which is] not big market but glamorous market, mid-size market. I think they threw Chicago in there. I can’t remember if Houston came up, [but] it should.”
Antetokounmpo continues to be one of the NBA’s premier talents, averaging 30.4 points and 11.9 rebounds per game this season. The nine-time All-Star and two-time MVP led the Bucks to a title in 2021.
The Bucks have limited draft capital and cap space to work with in free agency. That reality leaves them with the tough possibility of parting ways with their longtime franchise cornerstone.
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Any pursuit of Antetokounmpo would require the Bulls to give up substantial draft and player assets and create the financial flexibility needed to absorb his contract, which includes $54 million next season and roughly $175 million through the end of his contract.
Any deal for Antetokounmpo would almost certainly involve the Bulls giving up a large portion of their core, with Coby White and Josh Giddey at the forefront. White is on a favorable contract through 2025, but his next deal is expected to be much larger. Giddey is also in line for a new deal. They would be near the top of any major trade package.
The Bucks might also pursue additional young pieces such as Ayo Dosunmu and Matas Buzelis as part of a longer-term rebuild. Milwaukee would also likely seek multiple first-round picks as well; the Bulls currently possess at least one in each of the next seven drafts.
Landing Antetokounmpo could help reestablish the Bulls as a destination for free agents, something the franchise has lacked recently.
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