An NBA insider details a surprising trade scenario where the Hawks could land a generational draft pick by facilitating a blockbuster Giannis move.
The question surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo is no longer hypothetical. Around the league, executives are quietly preparing for a future where the Milwaukee Bucks may be forced to consider the unthinkable and forced to move the face of their franchise.
Antetokounmpo has not openly asked out. His loyalty to Milwaukee is well-documented, as he had multiple contract extensions and a championship in 2021. But circumstances have shifted lately.
The Bucks sit well below contention, injuries have piled up, and recent roster swings have failed to stabilize a team built around a 31-year-old superstar nearing the final year of his deal.
That reality has opened the door to leaguewide speculation about how — and where — a trade featuring Antetokounmpo could actually materialize.
One of the more intriguing possibilities comes from NBA insider Bobby Marks. In his recent report for ESPN, Marks noted the Atlanta Hawks as a dark-horse facilitator, not necessarily the team landing Giannis outright, but a franchise positioned to benefit from the chaos.
"Could the Hawks interest Milwaukee in one of the top picks in this year's draft for the opportunity to select Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa or Cameron Boozer?" he wrote. "Atlanta does not control its own first-round pick until 2028 but has one of the most coveted draft assets in the league: the more favorable 2026 first-rounder between New Orleans and Milwaukee."
From Milwaukee’s perspective, the challenge, however, is clear. The Bucks lack both depth and flexibility. Their most movable contracts belong to veterans like Myles Turner, Kyle Kuzma, and Bobby Portis, while their draft cupboard is thin.
If Antetokounmpo were ever moved, Milwaukee would need a combination of future picks, young talent, and immediate financial relief.
Atlanta quietly checks several of those boxes.
Interestingly, the Hawks don’t control their own 2026 first-round pick due to the Dejounte Murray trade, a mistake that looms large with the 2026 draft shaping up as one of the most loaded in years.
Prospects like AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cameron Boozer headline a class that front offices already view as franchise-altering. Atlanta’s inability to tank freely has limited its flexibility — unless a creative deal changes that equation.
For Atlanta, this is less about chasing Giannis and more about restoring optionality. By regaining their 2026 selection while still holding the valuable Pelicans-or-Bucks pick they already own, the Hawks could theoretically enter the 2026 draft with two high-lottery shots in a generational class.
The financial cost would be real, but the upside could redefine the franchise’s timeline.