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Projecting What a Clippers-Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade Package Would Look Like

If the Los Angeles Clippers were to go all-in on the Bucks superstar, what would their trade offer look like?
Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Clippers can go in different directions this offseason. These include trading Kawhi Leonard and kickstarting a rebuild, or going all-in on the Leonard-Darius Garland pairing by trying to trade for another star.

The biggest prize on the trade market this season is obviously Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks. They are reportedly listening to trade offers, and the Greek Freak is expected to be dealt over the next couple of months.

So far, there hasn't been any reporting connecting the Clippers to Giannis, but given GM Lawrence Frank's remarks about wanting to build a winner around Kawhi, it would make sense for the Clippers to pursue Antetokounmpo. But do the Clippers have enough assets to make a competitive offer? What would a realistic trade package look like?

What Can the Clippers Offer the Bucks in a Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade?

The fact that the Clippers landed the No. 5 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft changes the entire calculation. Milwaukee may not be able to find a better future asset than that in any other Antetokounmpo trade package.

If the Clippers were to include that in their package, they may be able to beat out other offers. LA could add its own 2031 and 2033 first-round picks, as well as Indiana's 2029 first-round pick. Making all of these picks unprotected should be enough to entice the Bucks. LA could also give the Bucks swap rights for their 2030 and 2032 first-round picks.

In terms of draft capital, this is as good as the Bucks could reasonably do on the market. If that is what their front office prioritizes, they should be very interested in this offer.

If it's a young star they are after, then the Clippers' offer looks worse. LA doesn't have any blue-chip prospects to send to the Bucks. Yanic Konan Niederhauser, who just had a promising rookie campaign, is the best the Clippers can do.

To match salaries, the Clippers would need to sign-and-trade Bennedict Mathurin and John Collins. Giving each player between $15 and $20 million in annual salary would be enough to make the trade work legally. Since the Clippers have flexibility and cap space this summer, they should be able to add Antetokounmpo without too many restrictions in a trade.

This is obviously just a framework. Depending on who the Bucks like and what they want to prioritize, there could be other additions to the deal. Kobe Sanders, Derrick Jones Jr., Isaiah Jackson, and Kris Dunn could be a part of this trade as well.

Even though the Clippers don't have a young player of much intrigue, they have enough draft capital to make a very good offer. Whether they should make this offer, however, is another question.

Would a Leonard-Garland-Antetokounmpo trio make the Clippers a title contender in the loaded Western Conference? Can that team be good enough for several years to justify the Clippers giving up all of their future draft picks?

That is clearly a massive gamble. Given Leonard and Antetokounmpo's health concerns, this move would have a big risk of backfiring. Where the Clippers are as a franchise, Steve Ballmer and Lawrence Frank may feel like they don't have another choice but to swing for the fences.

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Published
Cem Yolbulan
CEM YOLBULAN

Cem has worked as an Associate Editor for FanSided's Regional Betting Network sites for two years and continues to be a contributor, producing NBA and NFL content. He has also previously written soccer content for Sports Illustrated. He has extensive prior experience covering the NBA for various Fansided sites. Cem has been living in the Washington, DC area for over 15 years since moving to the United States from Istanbul, Turkey. On any given day, he can be found watching soccer or basketball on his couch with his many cats and dogs.

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