The Milwaukee Bucks had an underwhelming finish to their 2024-25 season, as their star duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard continues to fall short of expectations.
Since winning the 2021 NBA Championship, Antetokounmpo and the Bucks have not even made it past the first round of the playoffs. Now, after another early exit, trouble could be brewing.
There have been plenty of rumors circulating about Antetokounmpo’s availability this offseason, as many believe the two-time NBA MVP could demand a trade. After 12 years in Milwaukee, that would be a shock, but the Bucks are in an awkward position and not improving, making it feel like the 30-year-old superstar is wasting precious time.
The Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo are scheduled to meet after the season to discuss both his future and the future plans for the team, per @ShamsCharania pic.twitter.com/UopqyfkVyL
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 30, 2025
Antetokounmpo averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game this season while shooting 60.1% from the field, continuing to cement himself as one of the league’s top players.
Many people have begun discussing who a potential trade destination for Antetokounmpo would be, while CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn crafted a ranked list of all the top landing spots.
Who is noted as the worst landing spot for Antetokounmpo? The Sacramento Kings.
“They couldn’t convince De’Aaron Fox to stay but they’re convincing an MVP to stay?” Quinn asked.
Quinn ranked the Kings at the bottom of the “Don’t Waste Our Time” tier and the 29th overall team, effectively labeling them as the worst-case scenario. Of course, at first glance, many would assume that surely there are worse landing spots than Sacramento. However, the Kings certainly should not be too far from the bottom of this list.
The Kings would almost never make a move for Antetokounmpo in the first place, but it is also not out of the realm of possibilities. With new general manager Scott Perry at the helm, there is a good chance he feels like a win-now move of acquiring a player of Antetokounmpo’s level is the only solution for fixing the franchise, although that is likely not the case.
Antetokounmpo is one of the best players the league has ever seen, so if the Kings think they can get him to Sacramento, most fans would likely want them to pull the trigger. Still, it would not be the ideal situation for him.
The only reason for Antetokounmpo to leave Milwaukee is if he feels like he has a better championship opportunity elsewhere, especially during his limited timeframe, but Sacramento would not be the place. The Kings are far from championship contention and do not have the assets to show they can compete anytime soon.
And, of course, history shows a very limited number of superstars of Antetokounmpo’s caliber who would want to join the Sacramento Kings.
