Bucks: MPJ, Cam Thomas, Noah Clowney, Day'Ron Sharpe, Hayes

Nets: Gabe Vincent, Maxi Kleber, Rui Hachimura, Deandra Ayton, Vando, Jake Laravia, Dalton Knect,MIL 2031 1st round pick swap, MIL unprotected 2032 1st, LAL 2030 1st round pick swap, LAL 2032 unprotected 1st round pick

LAL: Kyle Kuzma, Bobby Portis, Nic Claxton, Haywood Highsmith, Gary Harris, Jericho Sims, Cole Anthony, Andre Jackson Jr.

Bucks go all in acquiring not only MPJ to completely open up their offense, but they also get fantastic role/backup minutes with Clowney, and Sharpe. They also find a guy who can actually create offense even without Giannis, in Cam Thomas. In terms of rotation minutes lost, almost nothing. They give up Kuzma, MPJ plugs in that hole and more easy, Portis, Clowney plugs in that hole, and then other bench pieces that also get plugged in. The cost for them comes for basically their last hope at their future. a 2031 pick swap, and 2032 unprotected. This hurts, for sure, but when weighing options, would you rather have Giannis relatively happy and be competitive for the rest of his career, or him leave, and you not only be awful, but be awful and not have control of your picks for the next 5 years...Gotta give yourself a chance now.

Lakers also move all their chips to middle, mainly with adding Nic Claxton to this roster that desperately needs an actual center. While center is their biggest hole, it's far from the only hole. Kuzma, and Portis both have their problems, don't get me wrong, but when you look at the production from those spots the Lakers currently have, those two would be a breathe of fresh air. Outside of those three big additions, they add plenty of bench depth that, again while not perfect or pretty on paper, all of those guys are upgrades to their current roster and depth. I went back on forth on the pick situations in this, and whether instead of the picks they give up Reaves, but ultimately I decided that Reaves was too important to the lakers, and they'd rather have him than two picks way down the line. Speaking of those two picks, though, those could potentially be very interesting picks, and it hurts to part ways with them, but similar to the Bucks, you get to capitalize on an aging, but still great Lebron, and start surrounding Luka with winning pieces. I think they pull this trigger.

The Nets give up quite a lot here. They part ways with their two best players by a mile, and it doesn't really hurt to lose them given what their goals are currently. Cam Thomas, I honestly don't think hurts too much either, given their offseason drama last summer. Where the pain really comes, is giving up young studs like Clowney, and Sharpe. Those are two guys I'm sure they would love to keep for the future, but to grease the wheels and get this deal done I think they do it. The last bit of pain comes in taking on Vando's horrible contract, but if the Lakers don't give up Reaves, I don't see another way to make the money work in this. In return they get a few flyers in Laravia, Knect, and Ayton (who still could maybe turn it around if given the right situation), but the real prize comes in picks. They get perhaps the two most interesting picks in the league right now, the two most future picks the Bucks can give, and two future Lakers picks that could also be really valuable, given the Lakers future outlook right now, is strictly Luka, and Luka could pack his bags before then.

I think the Bucks and Lakers get drastically better in this trade, and the Nets get fairly compensated with nice picks. Let me know if you disagree!