What is the Chicago Bulls' Best Trade Offer for Giannis Antetokounmpo?

The Giannis Antetokounmpo drama just hit a boiling point.

After the Milwaukee Bucks superstar did a social media cleanse on Tuesday, ESPN's Shams Charania dropped the report many were waiting for. Antetokounmpo and his agent are reportedly in active conversations with the Bucks' front office about his future. A decision on whether or not Antetokounmpo will remain in Milwaukee is expected in the coming weeks.

Of course, this wording suggests that the door is still open for Antetokounmpo to remain a member of the Bucks organization. The franchise also does not have to trade him. He is under contract for one more season before having a player option in 2027-28. Regardless, I think we can all agree that when a player of Antetokounmpo's caliber wants out, he typically gets his way.

Reports like this also rarely surface if the most likely outcome is for a superstar to stay put. While that doesn't necessarily mean a trade is imminent, Charania's bombshell report sure makes it feel more likely than not, particularly when you add in the context of the Bucks' 9-13 start to the season.

With that in mind, teams across the league are sure to clog up the Bucks' phone lines over the next handful of weeks. Antetokounmpo is a two-time MVP who continues to perform like one of the Top 3 players in the NBA. Any franchise that gets its hands on him would instantly become a contender. At the same time, acquiring a player like Antetokounmpo has become increasingly difficult in this new CBA era, which is why it can actually be rather easy to pinpoint teams that have an upper hand in negotiations.

Indeed, believe it or not, the Chicago Bulls fall under that category. The organization has already been mentioned many times in connection with another superstar trade candidate – Anthony Davis. To be sure, nobody would consider the Bulls as a frontrunner to land Antetokounmpo, but their financial flexibility, pool of young talent, and multiple first-round picks put them in a somewhat advantageous position.

Rather than rehash all of that, I'll encourage you to read our article from Tuesday. We touched more on why the Bulls may have dark-horse status in a potential Antetokounmpo sweepstakes there.

Instead, what we are going to focus on here is what the Bulls could potentially offer for Antetokounmpo. The price tag is bound to be astronomical, but Chicago may shockingly have what it takes!

Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks — Dec 1, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) drives to the basket as Washington Wizards guard Bilal Coulibaly (0) defends in the third quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The Chicago Bulls' Potential Offer for Giannis Antetokounmpo ...

The Chicago Bulls do not have the obvious standout youngster to throw into a trade of this magnitude, which makes it feel as though they would lean heavily on picks. The franchise is one of the very few around the league that has access to all of its future first-rounders, as well as an additional lottery-protected first from the Portland Trail Blazers.

While Antetokounmpo heading to Chicago certainly makes their picks less valuable, gobbling up capital from the late 2020s and early 2030s may be enticing. Not only will Antetokounmpo be in his mid-to-late 30s, but the Bulls have long struggled to sustain a high level of play. The Bucks would essentially be banking on the team's long-standing incompetence.

So, how many picks would the Bulls have to give up? Well, all four of their tradable first-rounders feel like an easy starting point. Keep in mind, they have access to seven picks but can not trade selections from back-to-back drafts due to the Stepien Rule.

Now, to get around this, they could look to do pick swaps instead. The Bucks would likely prefer outright owning the picks, but who is to say they do not push for swaps to get their hands on more of those later picks?

Depending on how highly the Bucks view some of the Bulls' young talent, front office leader Arturas Karnisovas may be able to shave off a pick or two. If one thing is for sure, however, Milwaukee is asking for Matas Buzelis in any deal. The Bulls would surely push back on this at first, but would they actually consider it a dealbreaker in the end? It feels very unlikely.

Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks playing the Chicago Bulls — Nov 20, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) takes a shot against Chicago Bulls forward Jalen Smith (7) and forward Julian Phillips (15) in the third quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Heck, there is a very good chance that the Bucks try to demand both Matas Buzelis and Noa Essengue. I have a feeling the Bulls could at least wiggle their way out of this request, but it may come at the expense of including something like that protected Portland pick.

Enough rambling, right? Let's throw a package together ...

Milwaukee Bucks Get: Matas Buzelis, Coby White, Nikola Vucevic, Zach Collins, 2026 FRP, 2028 FRP, 2030 FRP, 2032 FRP
Chicago Bulls Get: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Amir Coffey

As long as you wait until the trade restrictions are lifted on both Thanasis and Amir Coffey on December 15 (and the Bucks waive a player), this deal should get the green light. Nonetheless, the answer nobody knows is whether or not the Bucks accept it. Grabbing Buzelis AND four firsts at least forces GM Jon Horst to have a meeting, right? Again, adding Noa Essengue or the Portland pick on top of that package could also be a last-second way to sweeten the pot.

This deal would leave the Bulls with a potential starting lineup of Josh Giddey, Ayo Dosunmu, Kevin Huerter, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Jalen Smith. Is that better than what Antetokounmpo has in Milwaukee? Maybe! But that's also the kind of thing you figure out later if you're the Bulls. Getting someone like Antetokounmpo in the building first would be the goal.

Yes, other teams could throw in a more tantalizing prospect or even more attractive draft capital. The San Antonio Spurs come to mind from a talent perspective, while the Brooklyn Nets have some very intriguing picks. Even Oklahoma City could try to get frisky with its overflowing arsenal of both, but they seem pretty well off!

Still, the simple fact is that the Bulls are in a position to make a relatively competitive offer. That may not be good enough for an Antetokounmpo-type player, but you never know unless you pick up the phone!

You up?