(1) Atlanta = Trae Young & Clint Capela
Hawks new lineup
G: Dyson Daniels
G: Zac Risacher
F: Jalen Johnson
F: Giannis
C: Okongwu
Milwaukee gets a quasi-franchise player to rebuild around in Trae Young along with a starting caliber big man. That would allow them to trade one of B Lopez or C Capela in a subsequent deal.
(2) Boston = Jaylen Brown
G: Jrue Holiday
G: D White
F: J Tatum
F: Giannis
C: Porzingis
Milwaukee gets a strong two-way and former Finals MVP to rebuild around.
G: Kevin Porter Jr
G: Jaylen Brown
F: Kyle Kuzma
F: Bobby Portis
C: Brook Lopez
Two big wings in Jaylen & Kuzma. Two legit bigs up front. A makeshift option at PG while Lillard is out. Maybe wait until next season and see if Lillard can still play at an All-Star level.
(3) Cleveland = two options
Option 1 = Evan Mobley and DeAndre Hunter
Straight swap at PF for both teams. A young and improving All-Star caliber big to replace Giannis. A more established PF to upgrade on Mobley.
Option 2 = Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen for Giannis
A replacement PG for Lillard who offensively is a star level player and a long term replacement at center for Brook Lopez who is aging out in Jarrett Allen.
G: Darius Garland
G: AJ Green
F: K Kuzma
F: B Portis
C: J Allen
That team has a good shot at being a .500 squad.
Meanwhile, Cleveland gets to keep Evan Mobley and play him alongside Giannis in a versatile two big man pairing. They keep Donovan Mitchell as their star guard. They can start Max Strus in the backcourt next to him. Maybe DeAndre Hunter at SF.
G: D Mitchell
G: Max Strus
F: D Hunter
F: Giannis
C: Mobley
(4) Denver = Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon
Milwaukee could play Murray at PG while Lillard is out and then shift Murray over to SG when Lillard returns. Aaron Gordon replaces Giannis at PF. Bobby Portis could stay as 6th man. Kuzma, B Lopez. Interesting mix.
Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon may be able to keep them in playoff contention while Lillard is out. Depends on the supporting cast. Could be a bad team if a weak supporting cast. Could be solid if a good supporting cast.
Denver gets to pair Giannis and Jokic together. But they lose their 2 man game with Murray / Jokic. Giannis replaces A Gordon and his needed defensive pairing with Joker. MPJ remains. Guard play is very weak. Maybe they try and turn Giannis into more of a ball-handler than he has been in recent years like he was late in the regular season while Lillard was out. Surround them with 3+D spot up shooters at guard.
(5) Houston
Amen Thompson and A Sengun. Maybe VanVleet or D Brooks as salary filler.
Could they get Giannis without both Amen and Sengun? So 1 of them plus Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. Would that really be enough? Maybe.
(6) Indiana = Siakam, Nembhard and Mathurin
If they need salary filler, maybe Brook Lopez added to the deal.
Nembhard and Mathurin would be the starting backcourt while Lillard is out. Kuzma and Siakam at forward. Maybe Brook Lopez. Maybe a FA replacement at center. Portis as 6th man. That could be a fun athletic team. Likely trading Lillard after he returns.
Indiana would need a replacement at SG through free agency. Giannis would give them a legit go-to guy for the first time since PG13 left the team. Myles Turner is a great big man pairing for Giannis. Haliburton with his passing would be amazing next to Giannis.
(7) LA Lakers = Luka
Straight swap Luka for Giannis.
Lakers lineup
G: A Reaves
G: DFS
F: LeBron
F: Hachimura
C: Giannis
Bucks lineup
G: K Porter Jr
G: Luka
F: Kuzma
F: B Portis
C: B Lopez
The Bucks would need to trade Lopez for a rim running center. They would have Lillard returning in a year. If he could still play at a high level, that pairing would be the equivalent of Luka & Kyrie. If not, they will have to try something else. Kuzma is not a good fit offensively but defensively he can switch matchups with Luka. Portis has some switchability too allowing Luka to take the weakest of the 3 positions.
Luka would be far and away the best individual player MIL could get.
LAL has no other credible offers they can make. Luka or bust.
[8] MEM = Morant & Edey for Giannis
Morant gives them a young star who is highly marketable and talented to build around. Throw in Zach Edey since he doesn't fit well next to Giannis. Memphis can then start Giannis and Jaren Jackson as their big man pairing.
G: S Pippen Jr
G: D Bane
F: (FA)
F: Giannis
C: Jaren Jackson Jr
Bucks
G: Ja Morant
G: AJ Green
F: K Kuzma
F: B Portis
C: Z Edey
Brook Lopez would be trade fodder. I like the way Portis and Kuzma fit next to Edey in the frontcourt. Two long athletic forwards to compensate for Edey's lack of quickness.
(9) Miami = Bam and stuff
I don't like this offer for either team. Bam is a great #2 or #3 but he isn't a guy you can build your franchise around. I also do not like Miami trading Bam. He is their identity. Their culture. As long as he is there, Miami spirit remains. However, for Giannis, it would be something they have to do. I don't think they trade Bam for anything less than an MVP candidate given how important he is to them in terms of team culture.
(10) New Orleans = Zion Williamson
Joe Dumars starts off with a splashy move trading the oft-injured Zion for the win-now Giannis. In terms of individual talent, Zion may be the best MIL can hope to get (aside from Luka).
Straight swap position wise. NOP might need to throw something in. Maybe Dejounte Murray. A replacement for Lillard in the here and now. Possible to play him alongside Lillard a year later.
(11) NYK = Giannis for Towns
Simple swap for both teams. Giannis would likely need to start at center with M Bridges and Anunoby in the frontcourt. A swarming trapping defense. Towns would give them a long term replacement for Brook Lopez and establish a new big man partnership alongside Bobby Portis.
A strong offer. Win-now move but young enough to build around.
(12) OKC = lots of different configurations
I would be wary of making this trade if I were OKC. Giannis is a tougher fit alongside Hartenstein (no range) and SGA (slasher). Chet helps bring the best out of everybody. The chemistry works so well already, I would be reluctant to break it up.
Maybe Chet and Hartenstein for Giannis. Maybe Caruso if salary filler is needed. A 3-for-1. Then you have to find a center who can shoot the 3 reliably for Giannis.
Or you could trade J-Dub and Hartenstein and play Chet and Giannis together.
(13) Orlando = F Wagner
So Franz, KCP or J Isaac, and picks. Maybe A Black.
Keep W Carter Jr to play alongside Giannis. Banchero to SF. Suggs in the backcourt. Need to find a new SG to play alongside them.
Not the best offer but it could be competitive if a few of the top offers do not materialize.
(14) Philly = PG13, a top 5 pick, Jared McCain
Not that interesting an offer until you add the top 5 pick. Some strong talent available in the top 5 of the draft this year. McCain an interesting young guard. PG13 a temporary replacement.
G: McCain
G: (top 5 pick)
F: PG13, Kuzma
F: B Portis
C: B Lopez
They could give it a go with Lillard and PG13 while the youngsters develop. That team could be a lot of fun to watch. And if Lillard returns to a good capacity, a strong team the following campaign.
Or they can blow it all up and sell Lillard, PG13, B Lopez to the highest bidders. Slowly rebuild through the draft with a headstart from their top 5 pick & McCain. Maybe trade Kuzma and Portis as well. Load up on future picks.
Philly
G: Maxey
G: (who knows)
F: (who knows)
F: Giannis
C: Embiid
A terrific Big 3 but the rest of the roster would have nothing. A lot of holes to fill in the off-season to make a title contender and little cap or trade flexability to do it. I might reject it from Philly's standpoint. If I was more confident in Embiid's health long term, I'd roll with a rocky supporting cast 1st year confident I could build a stronger team for next 2-3 years. I don't know.
(15) Phoenix = Devin Booker
A Durant trade would do nothing for Milwaukee. Maybe Durant & Beal for Lillard & Giannis. PHX punt the season and try again in 12 months time. That could work.
MIL could trade either Kuzma or B Portis for a starting PG to play alongside Beal.
G: PG
G: Beal
F: Kuzma / Portis
F: Durant
C: B Lopez
Okay, back to Devin Booker. Devin Booker gives Milwaukee a star in his prime. You can build your offense around him. He can play with Lillard if that is an option in 12 months time MIL wish to pursue. Booker is a bit old for a full rebuild. It would need to be a quick turnaround.
G: K Porter Jr (later Lillard)
G: D Booker
F: Kuzma
F: B Portis
C: B Lopez
A decent squad but nothing special. A maybe playoff team. With Lillard waiting to rejoin at who knows what capability. Probably need to move on from B Lopez by then.
Phoenix would need to talk Kevin Durant off the ledge. Keep him around.
G: Grayson Allen
G: B Beal
F: R O'Neale
F: K Durant
C: Giannis
Suns have no quality big men and won't be able to get a 3+D big with enough quality so starting Giannis at center is their best play. Giannis and Durant would be a nightmare matchup for opponents as their twin bigs. Royce O'Neale or Dunn would give them a bailout option to hide a big man on. Maybe they go smaller in crunch time with a 3 guard alignment.
(16) Portland
I don't like Portland as a trade partner. I was thinking something like Scoot, Shaedon Sharpe, Donovan Clingan and cap filler in the form of Jerami Grant and Rob Williams.
G: A Simons
G: D Avdija
F: T Camara
F: Giannis
C: Ayton
The question I would have is whether there is enough talent there to convince Giannis to join. Anfernee Simons would be replacing Lillard as his #2 option. A bit of a downgrade although I do think Simons would play great next to Giannis. I have often compared A Simons to Jason Terry. Giannis as Dirk with A Simons as JT. Two tough defensive wings in Avdija and T Camara. Avdija would be the 3rd option. An upgrade on Kuzma. Ayton would stay on as the starting center. He has enough of a midrange jump-shot to give some spacing next to Giannis.
It would be a highly athletic and defensive minded lineup ... but not the most convincing star-studded offensive group.
Meanwhile,
The Bucks would get 3 good young players to grow. An immediate contributor at forward in Jerami Grant. And whatever health they can get out of Rob Williams.
G: Scoot, K Porter Jr
G: Shadeon Sharpe, AJ Green
F: Jerami Grant, Kuzma
F: B Portis
C: D Clingan, Rob Williams (Brook trade bait)
They would presumably dump Brook Lopez and Damian Lillard. Rebuild around those young guys. A dynamic starting backcourt with 2 good reserve guards. A good 3 man forward rotation. An impressive young defensive center with two-way promise in Clingan. That is a good rebuilding point.
(17) Sacramento = Sabonis & Keegan Murray
Kings lineup
G: (FA PG)
G: Zach LaVine, Malik Monk
F: DeMar DeRozan
F: Giannis
C: Valanciunas
They might need to include more salary filler. Maybe Monk. LaVine and DeRozan as co-scorers. Jonas as a decent starter next to him. It could be tempting. Giannis would give them more defensive balance.
Milwaukee would get a star center to build around and a young SF with promise.
G: K Porter Jr
G: AJ Green
F: Keegan Murray, Kuzma
F: B Portis
C: D Sabonis, B Lopez
Those three forwards would give Sabonis more defensive protection than he ever had in Sacramento. The guard rotation is weak but Lillard would be back in 12 months time. Either to return as a player or to be shipped off and build around the others.
(18) San Antonio
Keep Wemby & Fox. Everything else on the table.
So 2 main assets would be S Castle and D Vassell. They could include Keldon Johnson. Sochan. They own a bunch of future picks. It would be an assembly offer. Lots of smaller pieces. They would need to see Castle as a future star which is not a hard sell.
Castle is versatile enough to play PG while Lillard is out and then switch to SG and play alongside Lillard in the same backcourt when he returns. Or trade Lillard and go full rebuild. Milwaukee would likely be trading their other vets in Brook, Portis, Kuzma as well. They appear to be on different timelines.
(19) Toronto = Scottie Barnes
Scottie Barnes and J Poeltl for Giannis and Brook Lopez.
Raptors lineup
G: Quickley
G: RJ Barrett
F: B Ingram
F: Giannis
C: B Lopez
Bucks would get a young star in Scottie Barnes to build around and a solid start in Poeltl who is a lot younger than Brook Lopez. They would still have Kuzma and Portis. Lillard to return. Try and develop Barnes as a scorer and have him become an All-Star.
(20) Utah = picks, middling youth
They would need to keep Markkanen to convince Giannis to join. Maybe Kessler goes in the deal since he isn't a great fit next to Giannis. John Collins or Sexton as cap makeweights. Then a flotsam of their mediocre youth and a ton of whatever picks they own. The most draft picks ever traded in a single deal.
Others
Brooklyn = draft picks package
Chicago = N/A, nothing to offer
Charlotte = N/A, nothing to offer
Dallas = Anthony Davis = but that takes them nowhere
Detroit = J Ivey, J Duren, T Hardaway, T Harris package
Golden State = N/A, nothing to offer
LA Clippers = N/A, old stars
Minnesota = Randle out of contract, nothing to offer
Washington = N/A, nothing to offer
