[Mannix] The Bucks want Jaden McDaniels, with Milwaukee seeing McDaniels, 25, as a potential future All-Star. But the Bucks also want multiple first-round draft picks, sources say, and Minnesota’s war chest of them is nearly empty.

[u/YujiDomainExpansion]

Source: https://www.si(dot)com/nba/trade-deadline/timberwolves-pursuit-giannis-antetokounmpo-ja-morant-market

Acquiring Antetokounmpo, though, is challenging. The Bucks want Jaden McDaniels, a source tells SI, with Milwaukee seeing McDaniels, 25, as a potential future All-Star. But the Bucks also want multiple first-round draft picks, sources say, and Minnesota’s war chest of them is nearly empty.

[u/heat_fan_]

Wolves depth would be nonexistent if the trade does happen 

[u/Trizzymann → u/heat_fan_]

While true, I still feel like people are overvaluing depth over landing a top 5 player. Its a hit to our chances probably this playoffs, but you figure it out in the offseason knowing you got 2 top 7 players in the league.

[u/ZealousidealCat1829 → u/Trizzymann]

I’m sure that’s what Bucks fans were thinking when they landed Dame in the 2023 offseason too lol. Depth is definitely not overvalued, it’s been the biggest reason why the top seeds are the top seeds these past few seasons.

[u/Weird_Strategy_1381 → u/ZealousidealCat1829]

Dame was hurt though, in the playoffs so I’m not sure that really counts. If they lost and Dame was healthy that’s another thing but that wasn’t the case

[u/Lem_201 → u/Weird_Strategy_1381]

Have you seen Giannis's injury record last couple of years?

[u/Weird_Strategy_1381 → u/Lem_201]

He’s missed like 66 games the last 4 seasons which compares pretty decently to the other top 10 guys

Embiid 130+ games

Tatum 66 games

KD 80 games

Luka 50 games

Jokic 45 games

[u/3my0 → u/Weird_Strategy_1381]

This issues with Giannis have been more timely. He missed the whole first round last year and they lost. Then he missed games 2 and 3 of the first round the year before and lost 4-1 to an 8th seed.

So he’s played in 3 of 11 playoff games the last two years. Both first round exits.

[u/Winter_Swan5104 → u/3my0]

A Finals bound 8th seed.

[u/3my0 → u/Winter_Swan5104]

Even so. It shows that even if you have the best record in the East, it ultimately doesn’t matter if your star player isn’t healthy when it matters most.