NBA Trade Rumors: Milwaukee Bucks Willing To Move Everyone But Giannis Antetokounmpo

NBA rumors are stating that the Milwaukee Bucks are willing to trade every single player on their roster except for Giannis Antetokounmpo before the trade deadline this month, according to ESPN. That is a sign that they might make the biggest splash during a period of time when fans are anticipating big headlines.

With a 20-31 record, the Milwaukee Bucks are only ahead of the lowly Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers on the Eastern Conference, with not much of a chance at making the NBA Playoffs. That’s a disappointment for a team that was supposed to be a contender to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Milwaukee Bucks are even ranked behind the New York Knicks, which is ironic because Greg Monroe chose to sign with the Bucks during free agency because he felt that he had a better chance at winning in Milwaukee. That plan has obviously worked out the way that he had hoped when he opted to walk away from the Detroit Pistons last year.

Greg Monroe finds himself on the trading block midway through his first season. Monroe was supposed to provide the Milwaukee Bucks with some offensive firepower at the center position to complement the dynamic perimeter players that the team had already collected over the years.

Greg Monroe has delivered on the offensive end, which is not surprising considering that he consistently provided interior scoring for the Detroit Pistons. The problem has been on the defensive end. Monroe had trouble guarding opposing centers in the post, and he has been absolutely awful at rotating to help when perimeter players blow past his teammates.

It is highly unlikely that Greg Monroe is ever going to transform into a good defensive player, so Milwaukee Bucks general manager John Hammond has wisely let it be known to NBA executives that the former Georgetown Hoyas star is available for the right price. Monroe can be really effective for a team that has a big man who can defend, such as the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Serge Ibaka, New Orleans Pelicans’ Anthony Davis, and Houston Rockets’ Dwight Howard.

The Milwaukee Bucks spent the second overall selection in the 2014 NBA Draft on Jabari Parker because they felt that the former Duke Blue Devils star could become a franchise player in the National Basketball Association. While he has shown glimpses here and there, he hasn’t shown enough to make it where the Bucks refuse to even entertain offers from other general managers looking to acquire the services of the 6’8?, 250 pound youngster.

Khris Middleton was signed to a five-year contract worth $70 million by the Milwaukee Bucks last July. The team wanted to make sure that they lock him down because he appears to be a rising star in the NBA. Middle has seen his scoring and assists average increase on a yearly basis since coming into the National Basketball Association as an unheralded second round pick in 2012.

When the Philadelphia 76ers traded Michael Carter Williams to the Milwaukee Bucks, many were surprised by the move because Carter Williams appeared to be a foundation piece for the rebuilding team. The former Syracuse Orange star has yet to live up to potential with the Bucks, and he even seems like an odd fit because he is a point guard that cannot shoot and is surrounded by slashers.

Giannis Antetokounmpo is considered off limits because of his seemingly limitless potential. The 6’11”, 220 pound forward is called the Greek Freak because of his outstanding athletic abilities. At just 21 years old, many in the NBA wonder what his body will eventually transform into. The belief is that Antetokounmpo may become someone that is impossible to defend, so it makes sense for the Milwaukee Bucks to want to keep him around.

[Featured Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images]