Opinion: Giannis And Kyrie? The Bucks Should Make This Trade

The Milwaukee Bucks had their season come to an end on Sunday afternoon in Massachusetts when they lost Game 7 of their second-round playoff series to the Boston Celtics by a score of 109-81.

The series was easily the most competitive matchup in the 2022 NBA Playoffs so far as neither team truly took an advantage at any point.

The Bucks won the NBA Championship last year, so their title defense officially comes to a close.

In the first-round of the playoffs, they beat the Chicago Bulls in just five games, but their second best offensive weapon Khris Middleton went down with a knee injury and he did not return at any point in the first or second-round.

Therefore, they were playing without a huge part of their team (he averaged over 20 points per game this season and was a key part of their championship run).

Khris Middleton had so many huge games during Milwaukee’s championship run, including a 40-point performance in the NBA Finals. I’m surprised the Bucks won three games against Boston without him.
— Frank Isola (@TheFrankIsola) May 15, 2022

Giannis Antetokounmpo gave it all he had during the series, but they were clearly outmanned in the end against Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and the Celtics.

Giannis left it ALL out on the court tonight 😤

44 PTS
20 REB
6 AST

First player since Shaq and Wilt to do this in the playoffs

(h/t @statmuse) pic.twitter.com/E1ihtxGpNm
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 14, 2022

I believe that this loss is the perfect time for the Bucks to reevaluate their roster this summer, and I think that they should make a trade for another legitimate superstar to surround Antetokounmpo with.

The perfect player that I think would work would be Kyrie Irving.

Why Irving?

The Brooklyn Nets had a miserable fail in the first-round of the playoffs against the Celtics when they got swept 4-0.

A team led by Irving and Kevin Durant is a title-contender, and instead they looked out of sync all season long.

Irving at one point was not with the team, then he was a part-time player and finally he became a full-time player again.

Kyrie Irving is officially cleared to play in home games after NYC Mayor Eric Adams announced an exemption to the city’s vaccine mandate for pro athletes and performers pic.twitter.com/EDV2HsLeUw
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 24, 2022

Durant got injured for a large chunk of the season, which also threw them out of rhythm.

Not to mention they also traded James Harden for Ben Simmons, who did not end up playing in a single game.

Excuses aside, they still had Irving and Durant in the playoffs, and came up short.

The tenure of Irving and Durant in Brooklyn has not gone as planned (they have yet to make it out of the second-round of the playoffs), and Irving has a player-option that he can exercise this summer (or he can become a free-agent).

Sean Marks on if the #Nets are committed to Kyrie Irving long-term: "Thats something we've been discussing and we'll continue to debrief on & discuss throughout this offseason." Adds he made a mistake in predicting Irving would sign last year & the player has decisions too. #Nets
— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) May 11, 2022

The Bucks have two stars surrounding Antetokounmpo in Jrue Holiday and Middleton.

Now that the Nets have Simmons, they don't need Irving to be their point guard, and they would probably be better off with a player like Holiday or Middleton.

Meanwhile, the Bucks need another legitimate star who can take the pressure off Antetokounmpo.

KYRIE IRVING.

60 PTS (Career high & Nets record)
20/31 FG
8/12 3PT
6 REB
4 AST
4 STL
35 MIN pic.twitter.com/J9AM6dI9PD
— Overtime (@overtime) March 16, 2022

Irving is exactly that kind of player, and the salaries of either Middleton or Holiday would work in a deal.

The Bucks could form a big-three of Irving, Middleton (or Holiday) and Antetokounmpo.

While the Nets could have Simmons, Holiday (or Middleton) and Durant.

I think that the hypothetical deal would be extremely positive for both sides.