While the Milwaukee Bucks did an admirable job of keeping all their key pieces together heading into the new season, it appears that they have not done enough — at least not enough to prevent Giannis Antetokounmpo from pretty much saying that he wants to see more from his team.
At this point, especially on the Giannis front, there’s no denying that 2023-24 is championship or bust for the Bucks.
Antetokounmpo used the public forum to make his intentions clear. Either Milwaukee helps him achieve his ultimate goal of winning another championship in the near future or he will pack up and leave. The fact that he’s refused to sign what could have been a monumental contract extension this summer just goes to show that he isn’t bluffing.
Antetokounmpo’s eye-opening comments should put the front office on notice. They have to make sure that they are able to surround Giannis with the weapons to compete with the best of the best in the league. While they might be banking on their 2021 championship-winning core to do the same, a slow start this coming season could force their hand to make a move before the trade deadline — for Giannis’ sake, obviously.
A handful of trade targets have already been linked to the Bucks. Dalton Sell of Fansided actually listed three targets that should already be on Milwaukee’s radar. The most interesting among the bunch, at least in my opinion, is Utah Jazz combo guard Collin Sexton.
This isn’t the first time Sexton, who was the No. 8 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, has been linked to Milwaukee. It also appears that Utah has made him available via trade, which means that he could be had for the Bucks if they actually want him.
Sell points out that adding Sexton could be beneficial for the Bucks in that it could potentially solve their backcourt dilemma. The guard rotation is pretty slim right now with Jrue Holiday being the only natural point guard on the roster. Bringing in a guy like Sexton could be a great move for them, especially on the Holiday front:
“Adding a combo guard like Sexton could also be the key to getting the best out of Jrue Holiday for the playoffs. If the Bucks will continue to have Holiday guard the opposing best player, they need someone next to him to alleviate the scoring load. Sexton could do just that, sliding Holiday to the two-guard slot to allow him to focus more on his matchup while the former scores the ball,” Sell wrote.
It’s unclear what Milwaukee will need to give up to acquire the services of Sexton, who averaged 14.3 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in his first year with the Jazz last season. However, if it comes to a point in the season that the Bucks look like they are in dire need of a major shake-up, then it probably wouldn’t hurt to look in the direction of Collin Sexton.
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