Blockbuster trade pitch has Thunder capitalizing on Bucks' failed superteam

It's no secret that the OKC Thunder are viewed as the favorite to win the Western Conference crown and, in turn, embark on their first NBA Finals berth since 2012.

With their second-best in the west record of 12-4 and tantalizing rotation headlined by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and, when healthy, Chet Holmgren it appears this ball club has as good a chance as any to match, and perhaps even exceed these lofty expectations.

Still, even with all this promise, as former Oklahoma City guard and current perennial All-Star James Harden recently reminded Thunder faithful, nothing is guaranteed in this league, even with such a captivating assortment of talent like the one they have.

Because of this, many believe Sam Presti may want to be aggressive in capitalizing on the team's championship aspirations by looking to strengthen coach Mark Daigneault's roster with even more heavy hitters.

A recent blockbuster proposal by Bleacher Report finds the franchise doing just this by going out and acquiring easily the biggest target presumed to be on the trade market.

Thunder land Giannis Antetokounmpo in new blockbuster proposal

Since their 2021 NBA Championship run, the Milwaukee Bucks have consistently found themselves regressing in the success department, making it past the first round just once over the last three seasons.

What makes this downward spiral all the more daunting is the fact that they are now officially in year two of their attempted superteam experiment with the dynamic duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard leading the charge.

Unfortunately for the Bucks, all this tandem has accomplished is an early exit from the playoffs in 2023-24 and, through 15 games played, a putrid 6-9 record to start 2024-25.

As if the situation in Milwaukee couldn't get any worse, last month CBS Sports' Bill Reiter came out with a report stating that "teams are circling—and hopeful" that Antetokounmpo could eventually force his way out as soon as this year's trade deadline.

Though the organization has gone about and rebuked these claims, this hasn't stopped fans and media pundits from speculating about hypothetical trade scenarios. Recently, Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley took a crack at the make-believe mega-deal activities and, in turn, concocted a trade that would give the Thunder "true 'Big Four' potential."

**Trade wouldn't be possible until Isaiah Hartenstein becomes trade-eligible on December 15**

On the surface, coughing up four players and four first-round draft picks may seem like a boatload in exchange for just one player and, in some respects, this could be seen as the case for this hypothetical scenario as well.

That said, Giannis Antetokounmpo is not just any player and, quite frankly, the Thunder can easily afford to part ways with all of these assets without, as Buckley put it, disrupting the rotation or emptying the cupboard -- that's how many assets they have at their disposal.

An eight-time All-Star, eight-time All-NBA selection, a two-time NBA MVP, former Defensive Player of the Year, and an NBA Champion, the Greek Freak is the type of top-end established talent this promising yet rather green Thunder team could seriously benefit from rostering.

Now in his 12 season in the association, Giannis once again finds himself putting forth sensational all around efforts on the hardwood, as he's posting 32.1 points, 10.0 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 1.4 blocks while shooting 61.0 percent from the floor.

Considering his high-end level of production and the fact that he's still only 29 years old, the addition of Antetokounmpo would not only be a move to win in the now but, also, for the foreseeable future while the likes of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren all being to enter their primes.

Outside of the lucrative draft capital (which, again, is something the Thunder can easily afford to part with) and the departures of promising youngsters Cason Wallace and Nikola Topic, perhaps the most impactful loss with this exchange would be seeing the likes of Isaiah Hartenstein and Jaylin Williams heading outbound.

The former was Oklahoma City's big-time free agency acquisition this past summer and, despite having missed significant action during these early stages of the campaign, has already shown his high-end impact when healthy and on the floor.

The latter, meanwhile, has established himself as a focal point producer within coach Daigneault's rotation since being drafted back in 2022 and has provided reliable contributions as a scorer, rebounder, and defender.

Being Chet Holmgren is slated to be out until mid-January at the earliest, a move like this would be a serious gut-punch to their center depth.

That said, considering they managed to find success while running 6-foot-5 J-Dub as their primary five while all have been sidelined, it seems like a no-brainer that they'd come across even greater, more sustainable successes if they were to replace him, I-Hart, and J-Will with the 6-foot-11, 243-pound Giannis.

Of course, this would only be a short-term lineup construction, as Holmgren is, in fact, slated to return this season and for many more to come.

As a result, if the Thunder were to execute such an exchange, it would still easily boast one of the deepest rotations while having easily the most menacing core fours the league would have to offer.

Partnering two legitimate superstars and perennial MVP candidates in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Giannis Antetokounmpo together all while keeping guys like Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Alex Caruso, Luguentz Dort, Aaron Wiggins, and Isaiah Joe (among other players) in tow could realistically go down as the best move Sam Presti has made throughout his storied tenure in Oklahoma City.

While Buckley, along with the rest of Thunder nation realize that such a move may be "uncharacteristically aggressive," it's something that absolutely needs to, at the very least, be considered, for, as correctly stated in the B/R piece, "this could unlock legitimate dynasty potential."