New Blockbuster Three-Team Trade Proposal Sends Giannis to Grizzlies, JJJ to Bucks, Hawks Get Backup Power Forward

One of the most important storylines to follow this summer is the future of Milwaukee Bucks superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. The MVP contender is currently trying to keep the Bucks competitive in a series against the Indiana Pacers during the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Despite his best efforts, the Bucks haven't been able to seriously threaten Indiana for most of the series. Giannis has averaged 33.8 points, 14.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists during the first round, but the Bucks are still down 3-1 in the series. Accordingly, they are facing elimination tonight in Game 5.

Milwaukee lacks the roster depth to hold up against one of the NBA's deepest rosters and have struggled to match the athleticism and pace that Indiana brings. Their chances of eking out a series win got even worse with the news that Damian Lillard is out for the rest of the playoffs and a significant portion of next season with a left Achilles tear. The Bucks won't have control of their first round picks until 2031 and their roster is extremely old. By the time they are in a position to add series talent through the draft, Giannis is going to be 35 years old.

Therefore, it makes sense for both sides to part ways this offseason. Giannis can pursue a second ring and add to his legacy while Milwaukee can receive a haul of assets that will keep them competitive in a weak Eastern Conference. If he does request a trade, the Memphis Grizzlies seem like a team that would be interested. They have a DPOY candidate and two-time All-Star in Jaren Jackson Jr to serve as the centerpiece of the trade, along with a ton of intriguing rotation players to include in a deal. They also have possession of most of their future first-round picks. Furthermore, they were just swept from the playoffs in a thoroughly uncompetitive series with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Atlanta Hawks can use this situation to their benefit in order to add solid rotation players without giving up significant assets. At the moment, they have $40 million dollars in salary cap space before they hit the luxury tax threshold. That gives them a significant amount of room to re-work their roster.

If Memphis pushed to trade for Giannis, what would the package look like? Here's a possible framework that includes the Hawks as a third team:

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 should do or will do. That is all.

Atlanta Hawks get: Brandon Clarke, A.J Green

Memphis Grizzlies get: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Andre Jackson Jr

Milwaukee Bucks get: Jaren Jackson Jr, GG Jackson, John Konchar, Terance Mann, 2027 1st round pick (via MEM), 2028 1st round pick swap (via MEM), 2029 1st round pick (via MEM), 2027 2nd round pick (from CLE, via ATL), 2029 2nd round pick (from CLE, via ATL)

Why the Hawks would do this trade: Adding Brandon Clarke gives Atlanta another option to fill Jalen Johnson's spot as injury insurance, but Clarke is a solid player in his own right. He didn't get a lot of minutes for the Grizzlies (career-low 18.9 minutes per game) and is coming off another lower body injury (PCL sprain), but he still played in 64 games and offers a ton of flexibility on defense. He's switchable and a reliable communicator on that end with the instincts and athleticism to be a solid option for slowing down bigs. Clarke finished in the 99th percentile for scoring at the rim, hitting 80% of his attempts from that spot while posting an effectie FG% of 63.3%. He is also a solid rebounder on both ends and forces deflections, finishing in the 89th percentile for STL%. He has definitely lost a step since suffering an Achilles tear in 2023, but the Grizzlies got good minutes out of Marvin Bagley and they are going to make an effort to re-sign Santi Aldama. They can afford to let him go. Green can step into the Garrison Mathews role, but he's only 25 years old and shot 42.7% on five attempts per game this season. There's a possibility of future upside that makes it worthwhile for Atlanta to send second-round picks in exchange for his services. He is currently just a shooter, but that's an area of need for the Hawks.

Why the Hawks would not do this trade: Two serious lower body injuries for a player that relies on his athleticism as much as Clarke is a very worrying sign. He could end up being out of the rotation as much as Johnson, which somewhat defeats the purpose of acquiring him. He also isn't a floor spacer whatsoever, which tightens things up for the Hawks. On the opposite hand, Green is only useful when his three-ball is falling. If it isn't, his weaknesses as a defender make him a liability on the court.

Why Memphis would do this trade: Jaren Jackson Jr is a great player, but he likely will never reach the heights of Giannis. During the regular season, he had his third straight season of averaging 30+ (30.4) points and 11+ (11.9) rebounds on 60+ TS% (62.5). Furthermore, he's still adding to his game, connecting on a career-high 48% of his shots from 10-16 feet away from the basket. He's a good enough defender to carry Memphis in a similar way to what JJJ did while being a far better rebounder. While Giannis doesn't offer the spacing that Jackson provides, he more than makes up for it. His supporting cast in Memphis would also allow him to focus more on defense - a healthy version of Ja Morant and Desmond Bane are both 20+ points per game scorers. Bane is one of the best volume shooters in basketball while Ja is an excellent finisher with solid passing. Morant is probably overtaxed as the best player on a legitimate title contender, but he's capable of playing the second option role next to Giannis. Memphis would also be able to physically overwhelm opponents with a frontcourt of Giannis and Zach Edey. A starting five of Morant, Bane, Santi Aldama, Giannis and Edey is capable of contending for a spot in the Western Conference Finals while also possessing a solid rotation in Jaylen Wells, Vince Williams Jr, and Scottie Pippen Jr. They also avoid the possibility of overpaying Jaren Jackson Jr - he'll become eligible to sign a five-year, $345.3 million supermax extension this offseason if he makes an All-NBA team.

Why Memphis would not do this trade: They'd essentially be giving up their future for Giannis, whcih is a gamble that could easily backfire if he declines rapidly. Memphis has always been one of the deeper and younger teams in the NBA and they are cutting into that. They are losing a former DPOY with developing offensive skills who just had his best season in Jaren Jackson Jr, a young forward with scoring upside in GG Jackson and a veteran guard in John Konchar. Obviously, Giannis is an incredible player that makes the cost of losing those players much easier. However, the Grizzlies would be banking a lot on this working out. In a stacked Western Conference, the downsides of this move are hard to ignore.

Why Milwaukee would do this trade: There aren't many players that Milwaukee can acquire to replace Giannis that would be as good as Jaren Jackson Jr. He's a contender for an All-NBA spot this season, already has a DPOY and two All-Star nods under his belt and just had his best season as a scorer. In 2024-25, the Grizzlies big man averaged 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists on 48.8/37.5/78.1 shooting splits. He took 5.3 threes per game, serving as an effective floor-spacer for Memphis and anchored their defense. He can slide right into Giannis's spot in the starting lineup while the Bucks also take a chance on G.G Jackson. The younger Jackson has struggled with injuries, but he's the youngest player in NBA history to record 40 points and 10 rebounds in a game. Milwaukee would allow him the chance to find more consistency and develop his game. They also get solid rotation players in Terance Mann and John Konchar, who can keep them in contention for a playoff spot during the regular season. The real prize for the Bucks' future is the three first-round picks they are getting from Memphis, which will allow them to add to their lineup during Jaren Jackson's prime and build the team into its next iteration.

Why Milwaukee would not do this trade: Jaren Jackson Jr is a great player as the second option in Memphis, but he looked overtaxed as a primary scorer against OKC in the playoffs this season. There's a real concern over whether he would be capable of being a franchise player and leading the team in multiple postseason series as Giannis has done. Furthermore, GG Jackson's development has been consistently hampered with injuries. The Bucks might appreciate a prospect that has been able to stay on the court, even if they don't have Jackson's upside. Mann and Konchar's contract also extend past next season, so the Bucks are still on the hook for future money in both of those deals. That limits some of the financial flexibility they can stand to gain from this deal.

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