Should the Pacers be interested in Giannis Antetokounmpo?

The Milwaukee Bucks may not be an attractive league pass team to watch, but how could anyone who has put eyeballs on them not want Giannis Antetokounmpo for their team? He’s logging a career high in effective field goal percentage (66.0) with fewer weapons around him, and is second in the NBA in free throw attempts (9.9).

He is currently out with a calf injury and has suffered the same issues in consecutive seasons. There could be some concern because of his age and how good he’ll be down the line. He turned 31 on Dec.6, yet even if he loses a step, he has a strength advantage over 98 percent of the league and will always be able to go where he wants.

The Indiana Pacers are a top-shelf team when healthy, and they have the ammunition to trade for the Greek Freak. Consider a package around Indiana’s 2026 first-round pick, Pascal Siakam, and T.J. McConnell. The Bucks get a high-quality player, plus a reserve and a high draft pick that could be a significant boost for the future.

In Indiana’s case. It would hurt to trade two players who were huge contributors to a team that was one game away from a title. What they did mattered, and any outfit would be psyched to have them. Still, running it back when healthy, assuming some holes are filled, doesn’t guarantee they get back to the Finals. In fairness, Antetokounmpo in Indiana doesn’t guarantee it either, but he would take more pressure off Tyrese Haliburton than Siakam does now.

They would still need another big man to play next to him, but pairing Antetokounmpo with Haliburton could be special. Two-man actions between them would absorb defenders, making the corners a sniper’s delight just like a belltower above a shootout. Or imagine an inverted horns set with him as the ball handler and multiple options of Haliburton and Aaron Nesmith setting a pick on each side. Schemes will always overload the lane, so Antetokounmpo would get the help while driving down and could pass over the top to the screeners, or if Andrew Nembhard is uncovered somewhere. Or what about him plowing downhill on a catch-and-go move shielded by a flare screen?

Antetokounmpo has played fast-paced in offenses when the Milwaukee Bucks were contenders, and he only averaged 0.6 fewer screen assists than Myles Turner in 2024-25, before they were teammates. His lack of a reliable outside jumper would alter some things, yet there’s a trade-off since he’s got some post moves and using those is the best way to space the floor.

Defensively, he prefers to play lower, using his length, which is sometimes hard to size up, but can come up on screens. Being built like Superman makes him tough to handle when going at him in the backline, too.

Fortunately for the Pacers, they are not desperate and will have much more fun next season. But if there’s a chance to get a generational player, it is advisable to go for it because title windows are short.