Don't trade Giannis
To make good for his new team, Giannis Antetokounmpo does not need to rush back from his most recent debilitating calf strain and risk a greater injury we don't want to mention.
The Bucks, the franchise Giannis Antetokounmpo seeks rewarding while attempting to sustain his well-earned Great Dude-status all the way on outta town, should not trade Antetokounmpo until June, when better return packages are available. If sitting Giannis for ten weeks rests uncomfortably for that term, if February is rough and March is icky, so what. It'll feel awfully luxurious in summer once each side can manufacture an appropriate parting further representative of the ideals and expectations of the franchise and its franchise player.
The NBA, especially if they keep finding team owners doin' international war crimes, owns plenty of grist to fling into that post-trade deadline news cycle. Lots going on, plenty beyond Giannis in street clothes, it can handle Antetokounmpo's uneasy end with Wisconsin as the Bucks (five consecutive defeats) lose their way toward better lottery position. They've got Doc Rivers at the microphone, explaining everything, our good coach does not tire of his task.
The trade deadline is on Feb. 5 and the NBA might be about to behold its most beneficial transaction week in years, basketball and business meeting in the middle and declining the chance to say "nah." The NBA's on-court product does not require another storyline, another major move. Additionally, Giannis Antetokounmpo's next uniform should be covering Sports Illustrated 's autumnal NBA preview issue, not some photoshop mocked up in mid-afternoon in February.
The Bucks needn't talk themselves into a bum trade, especially with the not-insignificant chance these same Bucks could turn their team around at draft night and encourage another Giannis extension in Milwaukee. We wouldn't hold that against either side, the Bucks have a sound chance at a severe player personnel upgrade this summer, Antetokounmpo would not be selling out.
Also, for subscribers, I made a bunch of fake Giannis trades.
