New Blockbuster Three Team Trade Idea Sends Giannis to Pistons, Ausar + Duren to Bucks, Hawks Add Depth

How would the Pistons speeding up their contention timeline with a big swing for Giannis affect the Atlanta Hawks?

Mar 30, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) shoots over Atlanta Hawks center Onyeka Okongwu (17) during the second quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Undoubtedly, the biggest question of this offseason is the future of Milwaukee Bucks superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. The 30-year old forward is fresh off another dominant season where he averaged 30.4 points and 11.9 rebounds per game to go with a career-best 6.5 assists and 1.2 blocks per game. However, the Bucks appear to be stuck in NBA purgatory. They won the championship in 2021, but they haven't made it past the second round since then as their championship core has gotten older and dissolved over time. To make matters worse, they invested practically every significant draft asset into building that core or propping their championship window open, so they don't have control over their draft picks until 2031. All-Star point guard Damian Lillard will also miss a significant portion of next season due to rehabbing an Achilles injury.

Although he has not asked out yet, Giannis is not set up for a deep playoff run in Milwaukee. If he asks out, where would he go?

One team that could theoretically pull off a Giannis deal is the Detroit Pistons. They surpassed a lot of expectations by finishing with a playoff berth this season and took the New York Knicks, who ended up. in the Eastern Conference Finals, to six games despite being an extremely young team. Point guard Cade Cunningham showed that he is capable of being the primary scoring option on a playoff team and the Pistons themselves look like a team on the rise. Given how weak the Eastern Conference appears to be next season, the Pistons could certainly claim a playoff spot again next season and might even make a deeper run. Adding Giannis to their roster would allow Cunningham to improve his effectiveness as a passer and scorer due to teams having to account for the offensive gravity Giannis demands. Because they have all of their picks for the foreseeable future, the Pistons are in a position where they can make a competitive offer for Giannis should he ask out this summer.

The Hawks have a ton of financial flexibility this summer, which they can use to address their needs at interior defense, front court depth, shooting, and maybe a backup lead guard/ball handler. NBA insider Marc Stein has already reported that Atlanta could also look to be facilitators this summer in the trade market due to their financial flexibility, depending on if the team brings back any of Caris LeVert, Clint Capela, or Larry Nance.

Given the needs of all three teams, what would a trade between them look like? Here is one possible framework for a deal.

It should be noted that this is just a speculative and fun exercise to see what kind of moves can be made, not what I think the Hawks or any other teams should do or will do. That is all.

Atlanta Hawks Receive: Simone Fontecchio, 2027 2nd round pick (via BKN/DAL, from DET)

Detroit Pistons Receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo

Milwaukee Bucks Receive: Ausar Thompson, Jalen Duren, Tobias Harris, 2025 2nd round pick (via SAC, #42), 2026 1st round pick swap (via DET), 2027 1st round pick (via DET, unprotected), 2028 1st round pick swap (via DET), 2029 1st round pick (via DET unprotected)

Why the Hawks would do this deal: Even though Fontecchio wasn't a factor for the Pistons in their first-round series against the New York Knicks, his down season isn't entirely representative of who he is. In the first 16 games he played for the Pistons, he scored 15.4 points per game to go with 4.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists on 47.9/42.6/84.6% shooting splits. However, he hasn't played anywhere near to that level this season, only connecting on 33.5% of his threes and falling out of the rotation. Fontecchio was also a good shooter with the Utah Jazz last season (39.1% on 4.7 attempts per game), hence why the Pistons acquired him at last year's deadline. While he isn't a standout defender, he's 6'7 with enough mobility to compete on that end. At his best, he is not a player that the opposing offense will be able to target with regularity, which cannot be said for players like Georges Niang. He did get toe surgery before the season and it's possible the combination of recovering from that procedure and not adjusting to J.B Bickerstaff's scheme contributed towards his decline in production. Importantly, his down season in Detroit means that the price to acquire him will be miniscule and the Hawks should take advantage. Fontecchio fits the exact archetype of player that thrives with Trae Young - a 3&D wing who can step into catch-and-shoot threes with confidence. If the move doesn't work out, his contract expires at the end of the season.

Why the Hawks would not do this deal: Fontecchio's rapid decline this season is a little worrying and he is on the older side for a wing at 29 years old. The Hawks are getting a pick to take him on, but $8.3 million isn't a negligible price to pay for a player that may not be able to deliver real impact.

Why the Pistons would do this deal: Cunningham delivered on the promise last season that made him the first overall pick, averaging 26.1 points and 9.1 assists on 47/36/85% shooting splits. He took leaps as a playmaker, but Detroit relied on him extensively to initiate their offense. Furthermore, the combination of Giannis and Stewart on defense would be very intimidating for other teams to deal with. Interestingly, this deal still leaves Detroit with $54.1 million in cap space under the luxury tax line. They can make this move and still re-sign contributors from last season's roster, like Malik Beasley and Dennis Schroder, or pursue a big target in free agency.

Why the Pistons would not do this deal: The main issue with this move is that the Pistons are forking over a lot of their future draft capital when they still got eliminated in the first round. It'd be hard to say that they are close to title contention and this is the type of move that a contender would make. Furthermore, giving up both Thompson and Duren before they grow into their potential could be short-sighted.

Why the Bucks would do this deal: They get significant future draft capital, a veteran player who can step into Giannis's spot in the lineup and two interesting young pieces in Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren. Harris is what he is at this point in his career, but he's a solid veteran forward who can space the floor and hold up on defense. Thompson showed exciting flashes as a defender, playing tough defense on Jalen Brunson in the playoffs. Duren is a great rebounder and can function as a rim-running center while also showing signs of being a nice complimentary passer for a big man. The Bucks need a long-term center replacement with Brook Lopez likely to either retire or leaving the team.

Why the Bucks would not do this deal: The problem with this deal is that the Bucks could get more intriguing young players and a better haul of picks. Neither of Ausar or Duren have definitively established themselves as players with All-Star upside and both have significant questions with their offensive game and rim protection, respectively. Harris is also not capable of scaling up to a bigger scoring workload and keeping the Bucks relevant in the Eastern Conference, which they will need to do without access to their own draft picks.