Portland was not directly involved in the blockbuster trade that sent Giannis Antetokounmpo to Miami on Tuesday morning, but the Trail Blazers could still come away as one of the biggest beneficiaries. The move significantly weakens Milwaukee in the short term, which increases the value of the draft assets Portland already holds from the Bucks.
Because Portland owns Milwaukee’s future first-round picks in 2028, 2029 and 2030, it stands to gain if those selections are better than its own. Milwaukee had hoped to recover those picks in a Giannis deal, but that did not happen. Even though the Bucks received a substantial package for the Greek star, the expectation is that they will struggle to contend in the coming years, making those draft picks especially valuable.
Sports Illustrated argued that Portland should celebrate the trade, saying the Trail Blazers could end up “the biggest winners” because their future draft assets surged in value after the Giannis deal. The outlet added that once Milwaukee begins a real rebuild, Portland will have significant leverage in future trade talks, since teams pursuing a major player may see the Blazers as a top destination because of those picks.
Portland fan pages echoed that view, saying that even without landing Giannis, the trade is still a major win for the Trail Blazers. They said Milwaukee’s picks are now much more valuable and, at minimum, give Portland additional trade assets for the future.
