With the report that Giannis Antetokounmpo has already requested a trade from the Milwaukee Bucks, the Charlotte Hornets might want to jump in and see if they have a shot at landing the future Hall of Famer. He just looks like a great fit with Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller.
Knueppel has proven to be the complete package and has played beyond his years. Still, he stands to benefit from suiting up alongside a superstar with as much gravity as Antetokounmpo. Don't get me wrong; Ball could turn out to be that kind of player. Unfortunately, injuries and questions about his maturity continue to stand in the point guard's way of reaching his potential.
As for Miller, if he can figure out how to keep his body right and avoid the injuries that have plagued him in these past two seasons, he looks like a legit No. 2 or No. 3 option for a contending squad. His marksmanship from the perimeter and secondary shot-making abilities should give Antetokounmpo more space to do his damage against defenses.
Dreaming the impossible dream
All these may be nothing more than hypotheticals, though, as landing the two-time MVP may only be a pipe dream for the Hornets. First of all, he has earned the right to choose where the Bucks will trade him, and Charlotte is unlikely to be included on his list of preferred destinations. Not only will it be another small-market team, but he also wants to continue competing for rings. After all, those are presumably the reasons he wants out of Milwaukee.
In addition, crafting a trade package that would entice the Bucks to pull the trigger on a deal might be difficult. Sure, the Hornets have a lot of draft picks that they might be willing to part ways with if it means acquiring Giannis. On the other hand, Milwaukee will probably seek a young cornerstone to help its rebuild. Will Ball be enough for the 2021 NBA champion?
Maybe Jeff Peterson can do his magic by finding a different home for Ball and using the assets he can net in return for his star to send to the Bucks. Unfortunately, that would be easier said than done, considering that the star's injury history has sunk his trade value.
So, getting Antetokounmpo might not be on the table for the Hornets. Still, they should definitely include themselves in the chaos to gauge their chances of realizing their dream scenario. If that's not possible, the next-best outcome for them would be to join as a trade facilitator and at least bring in some draft capital for their troubles.