While most Utah Jazz fans await the NBA Lottery results, others are watching as teams are eliminated, some unexpectedly, which often brings trade rumors surrounding star players.
One such player is an established MVP candidate and future Hall of Famer. Giannis Antetokounmpo.
His resume is well-known and needs little introduction. For a player in his age-30 season, Giannis has accomplished a lot in his 12 NBA seasons. But with his Milwaukee Bucks eliminated once again from the first round of the playoffs, it stands to reason that they are no longer a contender, even with Giannis on the team.
The trade rumors started even before the Bucks were eliminated, as former Jazzman Carlos Boozer suggested that Giannis should take his talents to Hollywood.
And they haven't let up in the 24 hours since, with teams like Miami, San Antonio, Houston, and others reportedly in the mix, should Milwaukee decide to shop their superstar this summer.
How would the Utah Jazz go about getting Giannis over everyone else?
Danny Ainge has a few tricks up his sleeve. They don't call him "Riverboat Danny" for nothing. The Utah Jazz have a load of draft picks they can offer the Milwaukee Bucks, who are currently lacking in that asset department. Offering Minnesota's 2025 pick, and the Jazz's own, unprotected picks in 2027, 2029, and 2031, would be intriguing to Milwaukee. They could even throw in the Lakers' 2027 pick (top-four protected) as the cherry on the cake.
In addition, the Jazz can provide any number of young players, with Walker Kessler likely the only one on the roster that Ainge might hesitate to trade. A package built around Lauri Markkanen (star player under age 30), Jordan Clarkson (valuable reserve on an expiring contract), and the aforementioned draft picks would give Milwaukee the best of all worlds - talent, salary relief, and draft capital.
Milwaukee could alternatively go the route of cheap, developing talent from the Jazz and build a new group to grow in Year 1 post-Giannis, with the hope that Damian Lillard can combine with the group in 2026-27 and make a playoff run, at minimum, while they work to clear their books of high salaries and get in a better long-term position.
Whichever path the trade takes would be contingent on the Jazz winning the draft lottery and taking Cooper Flagg with the first overall pick. If the Jazz fail to get the #1 pick, they would be less likely to make a Giannis trade.
A player like Cooper Flagg would be enticing for Giannis to team up with. Collin Sexton, Walker Kessler, Isaiah Collier, and John Collins would be a good foundation. They would all benefit from more open looks, which would be a certainty with Giannis as a teammate.
Of course, people would argue that Giannis may not want to come to Utah, knowing the Jazz had the worst record in the NBA this past season. But seeing how Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert were able to get the Jazz in contention, it might be the ultimate challenge - If Giannis can do it in Milwaukee, why not in Utah? He's not a prima donna superstar by any means, and having a small market seems to suit him in Milwaukee.
And for Giannis, he has a player option for the 2027-28 season, so if things didn't work out in Utah, he can enter free agency at age 32, when he would still command a monster contract. The Jazz would have two seasons to convince Giannis to sign long-term with the Jazz, the biggest risk of this deal.
The Jazz have as good a chance as anyone to drop a Godfather offer for Giannis, should he become available. And being a Western Conference team, it gives the Bucks another benefit - they'll only see Giannis twice a year if he moves to the Utah Jazz. And that could make all the difference if the Bucks don't want to see Giannis trending all over social media in Los Angeles or New York.
Will Giannis get traded? It looks more likely than it has in years, and the Jazz should be on the phone with the Bucks at the earliest opportunity.