The Atlanta Hawks are one of the teams expected to have serious interest in a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, but any potential blockbuster trade would have to send youngster Zaccharie Risacher packing.
Antetokounmpo is reportedly available for trade after a series of headlines broke over the week, and Brian Windhorst suggested that the two-time MVP will pick his next destination, rather than go to the team willing to pay the most. This is good news for Atlanta, as Jake Fischer reported that it is highly unlikely the Hawks will use their 2026 Pelicans/Bucks first round pick swap.
If Antetokounmpo decides to take his talents to Atlanta, the Hawks will have to attach multiple young players and first round picks to Trae Young’s contract for the Bucks to accept. If the 2026 pick isn’t being used, however, the Bucks will demand that former first overall pick Zaccharie Risacher be sent in a trade package.
Risacher isn’t Milwaukee’s next star, but they sure could use him
The Bucks have a challenging future outlook without Giannis. The Hawks’ best offer would include Trae Young, Risacher, Asa Newell OR Mo Gueye, and many first round picks.
On paper, this is quite an appealing trade offer for the Bucks. They get a star for today in Trae Young, they get a high-value role player in Risacher, and they can take a swing on the young talents of Newell and Gueye.
In practice, however, the only valuable assets for the Bucks would be Risacher and Newell/Gueye. The Bucks are 11th in the East with Giannis at the helm. With all due respect to Trae, he isn’t helping that team more than Giannis is. Milwaukee can keep him or let him walk in free agency, but he isn’t the future star that will pull the Bucks out of a rut.
The first-round picks are, in reality, similarly low-value assets for the Bucks. If the Hawks have Giannis on the roster, there is a slim chance any Hawks pick falls below 20th. Some stars fall beyond 20th in the draft (Jalen Johnson was selected 20th in the 2021 draft), but this is a losing strategy for the Bucks to bet on.
Young is an asset who doesn’t help the Bucks, and the picks hold more value as a trade piece than in action. The only asset the Hawks have that can truly excite the Bucks is Risacher. He’s an elite role player who embraces doing the little things. Will he be the next Bucks star? No, but he could be their Derrick White, and the Bucks will demand he is included in a trade.