Giannis Antetokounmpo could be the biggest name on the move before the trade deadline in February.
Antetokounmpo is reportedly unhappy with the Milwaukee Bucks for failing to build a contending team around him.
If the Greek Freak were to request a trade, there would surely be a long list of teams queuing up to acquire him.
The Atlanta Hawks have been tipped as a potential suitor, but Bill Simmons is not convinced that would be a good idea.
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Bill Simmons and Tim Legler agree on Giannis Antetokounmpo to Atlanta Hawks
The Bucks would probably request small forward Jalen Johnson in a trade with the Hawks for Antetokounmpo.
Johnson is averaging 24 points per game this season and is likely to make his first All-Star appearance.
The Hawks would hate to lose him, but it might make sense to swap him for one of the best players in the world.
FIVE teams who could trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo!
However, Simmons is adamant that Atlanta should consider Johnson “untouchable” and not even trade him for the Greek Freak.
“He’s untouchable,” Simmons explained. “If I’m [the Hawks], and [the Bucks] were like, ‘You can have Giannis for Jalen Johnson,’ I would have a seven-hour meeting about it, but I would much rather have the younger guy who keeps ascending.
“I would try to figure out a way to bring Giannis into it, versus making him the centerpiece. I just don’t think there’s a world where they trade him at this point.”
Former NBA player Tim Legler agrees that the Hawks should rather have Johnson than Antetokounmpo because he is seven years younger.
Giannis is currently the better player, but Johnson could yet develop into an MVP-caliber player and make the Hawks regret trading him.
“I totally agree because of the explosion in his offense over the last 18 months,” Legler responded. “There’s no telling what his ultimate ceiling is.
“When you have a guy that young, that talented, who is doing it this easily, you really don’t even know how much more there is to grow.
“The uncertainty of that is so risky to give up on and send somewhere else. Even though Giannis is a more well-known commodity right now, you also know 100 percent what his ceiling is.
“You don’t have any idea what Jalen Johnson’s ceiling is. So that, to me, would be a really risky and dangerous thing. I’m not considering trying to acquire [Giannis] unless I can figure out a way to put them together because I want something special.”
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Potential Atlanta Hawks trade package for Giannis Antetokounmpo
The Hawks would struggle to make a deal work for Antetokounmpo without including Johnson, but they do have several other valuable assets.
The obvious way to make it happen would be to give up Trae Young. Antetokounmpo is obviously a better player than Young, so the Bucks might also want someone like Onyeka Okongwu.
Alternatively, the Hawks could form a big three of Young, Johnson, and Antetokounmpo by parting ways with multiple young players and picks.
The Bucks could be interested in acquiring former number one pick Zaccharie Risacher, alongside Okongwu and one or two first-rounders.
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