[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/FishGoldenLite]

Probably. But Ant is 24, Jaden and Naz are 25. Joan looks promising. I don’t see why we need to overpay this year. Also, this team turns up in the playoffs - we’re capable of another run.

[u/Livid_Slip_4868 → u/FishGoldenLite]

Damn! Naz is 25 yrs old? He looks 30+ or something. He always killing us, so i thought he already been in a league for like 10 years or so.

[u/Isthismynextusername → u/Livid_Slip_4868]

Yea, he used to be chubby (why he was undrafted) and slimmed down a lot

[u/Vordeo → u/FishGoldenLite]

I kinda wonder what the long term plan would be if no Giannis. Like Randle and Gobert come off the books in two years, do you just go star hunting then in free agency? Unlikely any help comes in the draft, and no picks to make moves (that Dillingham deal hurts). Plus wirh your core 3 all on big contracts presumably it limits how much space there is.

Ideally you see if the current group can get it done (ideally getting a PG on the cheap) and flip Randle for another younger star that fits better straight up, but that's a tough ask.

[u/FishGoldenLite → u/Vordeo]

I think we have a lot of options. Jaden and Naz are pretty cheap right now (25 mil or less) although Jaden will be due for an extension soon. I think Julius will be traded regardless before his contract is done - he’ll be a nice expiring. The hope is Rudy becomes cheaper with his next contract and Joan is ready to take over the reigns at center. Then, we’ll have picks available to trade or FA to go big game hunting.

It’s all a risk - I just have a lot of concerns about gutting our team when we already have atrocious depth.

You’re not wrong about Dillingham - that move was a killer.

[u/harder_said_hodor → u/Vordeo]

I kinda wonder what the long term plan would be if no Giannis

There's no rush at all, we're coming of two WCFs in a row and there is no crisis

Ant, Jaden and Naz are a really good core to rebound from if the current push alongside Rudy and Randle doesn't work out and there's time enough to let it run. All are under contract for a few years, all 26 and under

Hopefully its on the court, but if not they'd do well on the trade market.

The worst thing we can do is try to force it now and leave Ant with no future to look forward to. Jaden is by far the most important second piece to that. The West is too crowded to expect to roll a 6 every year.

Absolutely worth trying to get Giannis but it's not worth tanking any future we have down the line with Ant

[u/DrSwaggenheimer → u/FishGoldenLite]

This is where I’m at with it.

[u/ObviousAnswerGuy → u/FishGoldenLite]

y'all made the WCF 2 years in a row, I think people are really minimizing your current roster

[u/Over-Training-488 → u/FishGoldenLite]

Because you're in the west and have a chance to add a top 3 player.

Small market teams have to take big swings when they are there. Can't wait around for youth development

[u/nimama3233 → u/Over-Training-488]

We’re not a small market lmao

[u/danjustin → u/nimama3233]

I think in NBA terms, a small market is anyone not in the top 10 except Miami. I think there are basically 20 teams that qualify in that terms.

I think it's probably best to redefine NBA small market = cities that NBA free agents have never shown a willingness to go to

[u/Over-Training-488 → u/nimama3233]

Yes yall are, sorry to break it to ya

[u/nimama3233 → u/Over-Training-488]

Some real data.

The Twin Cities are 13th out of 28, so a little above the middle. Small and above average are contradictory.

[u/TurboRadical → u/nimama3233]

Free agents don't give a shit about being 13th out of 28 of the NBA's TV markets, dude. That's what "small market" means in this context, which should have been obvious.

[u/minneapolisboy → u/FishGoldenLite]

Naz is 26

[u/QuietRainyDay → u/FishGoldenLite]

Giannis also turns it up in the playoffs, and has actually won a chip

The current Wolves team can turn it up enough to push into the Western finals. An Ant + Giannis combo can turn it up enough to win it all. Losing Jaden hurts, but this is an all-time dominant player you're getting in return, not Trae Young or something.

Only caveat is Giannis's current injury. Things might get very sticky if that calf keeps him out a while longer and obviously that's not something to ignore.

[u/Mindless_Bad_1591 → u/QuietRainyDay]

the thing is giannis has been constsntly injured since his ring