Despite little in the way of big-name free agents, this is setting up to be a fascinating offseason, and not just because it’s going to happen at warp speed with the sooner-than-expected start date for next season. There are blockbuster trade possibilities, as well as some important extension decisions that will impact both the current and future landscape of the league.
Those agenda items cross paths in Milwaukee, where the Bucks are hopeful that Giannis Antetokounmpo will sign a five-year max extension worth somewhere around $220 million, which would cement them as contenders for the foreseeable future. In order to entice him to stay, the team is preparing to go all-in this offseason, and given their cap situation that means looking at trades.
One of the obvious options is Chris Paul, as he would be a clear upgrade over Eric Bledsoe, and the Oklahoma City Thunder are expected to move the veteran point guard in order to begin their rebuild. But while it may make sense in the hearts and minds of everyone online with access to the trade machine, there’s not much going on between the two teams, according to ESPN’s Zach Lowe:
There has been no traction so far — and maybe not even any talks — on any deal sending Chris Paul from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Bucks, multiple sources say.
This doesn’t mean a Bucks-Thunder trade couldn’t happen, but considering other reports about Milwaukee’s interest in Bogdan Bogdanovic and Victor Oladipo, and the condensed nature of this offseason, it seems they’re looking elsewhere to boost their playmaking talent.
While Paul is probably the most talented player the Bucks could acquire this summer, there are valid reasons to explore other options. At 35 years old he’s on a completely different timeline than the rest of the Bucks’ core, and there’s no guarantee he has many All-Star level seasons left. Plus, his hefty contract makes it more complicated to figure out a trade. There’s a high ceiling there given Paul’s ability and experience, but also a lower floor if he was to get injured or suffer a steep drop-off in form in the next year or two.
There’s also the fact that the Bucks aren’t exactly stocked with enviable assets, and the disinterest could be from the Thunder’s side. Donte DiVincenzo and DJ Wilson are probably the two most interesting young players a rebuilding team like OKC would want, but they haven’t exactly shown any great promise, and if Giannis stays, Milwaukee’s first-round picks are going to be towards the back end of the draft moving forward.
Both of these situations are ones to watch over the next month or so, and there’s always a chance that the two sides could figure something out. But for now, it doesn’t appear that CP3 will be joining forces with the Greek Freak.
