In the aftermath of the 2026 NBA Draft, the recurring question across social media and sports news outlets will be, “Who will work with the Bucks on a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade?” It’s clear that the team is in dire need of a rebuild. That starts with trading Giannis to a team willing to give Milwaukee a sensible return in exchange for their franchise icon. When weighing the benefits available for both Milwaukee and the teams that could make that trade, the Atlanta Hawks are the best team to make the deal.
Trading Giannis Antetokounmpo Makes Sense For Milwaukee
The Bucks have been on the decline for the past few years with little sign of turning things around. After winning the NBA Championship in 2021, they’ve won just one playoff series. This year, they failed to make the playoffs, with Giannis plagued by nagging injuries. Many of the core players from their championship season, such as Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday, have been jettisoned.
Given the current state of the franchise, Milwaukee needs to acquire as many young contributors to their team as possible. In order to do that, the Bucks need to acquire high picks in the NBA Draft. That’s where the Hawks come into play. Atlanta landed the eighth pick this year as a result of a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans in last year’s draft. Combining that selection with the tenth pick that the Bucks already have and future picks that the Hawks might be willing to offer would be a solid step forward in the rebuilding process. In addition to draft picks, Atlanta might be willing to offer a promising young player (or players) currently on its roster.
A Trade For Giannis Antetokounmpo Makes Sense For Atlanta
The Hawks were the only team to make this year’s NBA Playoffs that were able to land a top-10 draft pick. Thus, no team with that high of a trade asset would benefit as much from acquiring a player of Giannis’ caliber. More than any other team in the 2026 Draft Lottery, Atlanta is in “win now” mode. Though their season ended with a first-round loss in six games to the New York Knicks, Atlanta is showing signs of improvement. Last year they missed the playoffs entirely after losing in the play-in round. This year they were a six seed and were 10 games over .500.
Though Atlanta is headed in the right direction as a franchise, they aren’t true contenders by any stretch. That’s why the acquisition of Giannis could be such a game-changer. No other team in the draft lottery could be elevated to the elite level the way the Hawks could by making a trade for the Bucks’ big man. Though he played in fewer than half his team’s games this season, the two-time MVP still averaged over 27 points and nearly 10 rebounds per game while shooting a Career-best 62.4% from the field. In order to achieve contender status, an NBA team usually needs a legitimate superstar putting up Giannis-like numbers to get there.
The Deal Needs To Happen Now
Antetokounmpo is going to turn 32 in the early part of next season. Though he’s still one of the NBA’s best players when he’s on the court, the injuries have been piling up in recent years. There’s no telling how much longer the man they call “The Greek Freak” will have at an elite level. Giannis deserves a fresh start with a young team on the upswing that he could instantly make into one of the best teams in the NBA. Milwaukee needs a rebuild centered around high draft picks and young talent. All in all, the deal just makes sense for both sides.
