I actually think it’s fair to question the 31 year old who’s missed a lot of time this year due to nagging lower leg injuries and whose game is uber-reliant on athleticism.

top 5 talent? still yes
top 5 asset to trade your whole future for? that’s where the injury concern becomes real

i get simmons’ point even if “closer to embiid than jokic” is a bit harsh

He gonna be 32 for most of next season and he hasn’t stayed healthy in years. Bill is objectively right here

Anybody who acts like there is zero risk with Giannis is just genuinely dumb

It’s not slander to acknowledge that the cost of trading for Giannis would likely outweigh the impact of having Giannis, and that’s before you factor in his age and injury history. It’s like the AD thing where people were trying to argue that AD was worth something of value. No, the idea of him was. The proven reality was almost exactly what Dallas ended up getting for him.

I actually don’t think a team should trade for him. Giannis is a unique player that needs specific players and roles around him. If you are ready to make it his team and build around him, do it 100% otherwise, dont

Hes played under 60 games one time lol…this year

He’s played over 60 games every year except for his rookie year and this year.

If they were in the playoff hunt he’d probably would’ve finished this year around 50 games.

Compared him to Lakers Dwight Howard in another pod too…

Imo it depends on just how bad this injury is and if it’s under control.

I word it like that because when he does play, he’s still Giannis. It’s not like he’s slowing down. He’s only played 36 games but he’s still putting up about 28-10-5 on a career high 62% from the field. I’d be more worried if his numbers were dropping along with the time he has missed due to being hurt. I think Giannis will be fine, but it’s pretty clear he has checked out of MIL.

On one hand, Bill Simmons has a point: teams are and should be concerned about Giannis’s health as he ages. On the other hand, Bill Simmons has had a thing about Giannis since the late 2010s when the Bucks and Celtics had knockdown-dragout playoff series. Saying Giannis doesn’t play hurt is immensely stupid. He’s literally involved in a grievance right now about wanting to play hurt. He put up 50 on a hyperextended knee in a Finals clincher. This is just ‘I don’t like the player and I will make up reasons’ stuff, Kendrick Perkins/SAS-level garbage.

I get that the Ringer is a cool publication, but Bill himself is insufferable, and pretty much always has been.

Before this year he’s played at least 61 games in every season. He pretty consistently misses 10-20 games. Embiid has hit 60 games played in 4 of 10 seasons. The lower body stuff may get worse but it’s not particularly close between the two as of now.

Giannis could benefit from fine tuning his post game if he wants to keep playing at high level. Not that he isn’t good already, but if he sharpens his footwork to near perfection the post he would be a great asset once his athleticism dips a bit.

Comparing him to Embiid is disingenuous. Over the last 7 regular seasons, Embiid has averaged 46 games played, with ⁵⁄₇ seasons playing less than 60 games. Giannis has averaged 61 games played and only played under 60 games this year. Giannis has just had an unfortunate run of late season injuries that has hindered him or kept him out of the playoffs.

Bill also keeps referring to Giannis as a guy entering his mid 30s to make him seem older than he is. Giannis is literally 31. He’ll turn 32 next season. Yes his game is built on athleticism and physicality but he’s also a super skilled player. I have no worries that he’ll still be an elite player into his mid to late 30s. I think a lot of teams should be interested in trading for Giannis for the next 3-6 years.

My king will rise again and it will be glorious! Weird that I’m actually excited for him to be traded to a contender and play meaningful ball again. I’m not just a Giannis fan either and am a born and raised Bucks fan.

This was a weird season for him and def more than just injuries going on.

Let’s completely disregard the fact that he is playing with the worst roster in the NBA and had to be both the best defensive player, and best offensive player, game player, best rebounder, leader, and everything else other than 3P shooter. Hell, there’s no coach whatsoever so at time she had to grab the board out of Glen’s hands to draw plays himself.

No player has been relied upon for literally every aspect of basketball as much as Giannis, and it’s almost criminal that nobody acknowledges it.

It’s an absolute cluster f and if Giannis is not going to be going to the same situation as he is with the Bucks.

Frankly, I hope he goes to the Spurs, so everyone can cry for years “How did the Bucks send Giannis to the Spurs for a bag of chips?”

It’s because of stupid discussions like these.

This is why I thought that everyone laughing at the Heat and Warriors offers were silly. No team should be blowing up their roster and future for a 32-year-old Giannis imo. It just wouldn’t make sense.

I’ll eat a Giannis heat jersey if Pat Riley actually makes a move.

In general I just think the “trade the farm to get one superstar to lead us to a title” mindset is outdated.

Doesn’t mean they should get as little as Mavs got for Luka, but gutting your team and cutie to get him won’t help.

Didn’t Embiid just drop 40 like 2 days ago or am I misremembering?

Hey fuck you too Bill 😂

I don’t think it’s the craziest take to bring up but I still disagree. He’s gotten injured at the end of the season 2 times now, that’s bad luck. He’s still absolutely a top 5 player.

Giannis is 31 now?? fuck me

He’s right

He’s not playing because there is nothing to play for. The Bucks don’t want him to play because it hurts their draft odds and if he gets a serious injury it hurts the draft haul they can get for him. Giannis has the same incentives but he can’t publicly say he’d rather not play because it hurts his image in Milwaukee which I totally get. But it also hurts his image and ability for future sponsorships and his prospects of being regarded as an all time great player not just a great player for his generation.

Realizes the Celtics probably can’t acquire him, so slanders him.

Tale as old as time with this homer.

I’ve had Giannis top 3 for a long time. But he’s hurt every year now and I just can’t see that as top 5. It’s the same reason I never had Embiid in the top 3-5.

When healthy, Giannis is easily top 5. But he’s not healthy, when it matters most. And as he ages, I doubt that goes away. He’s probably better as the 2nd option, if you’re going for a championship. But from a pure talent perspective, his potential is still top 3-5.

The top three teams are pretty young (OKC, Spurs, Detroit)

An all-in move for him makes sense if your team already has a small window

Oh yea that’s true he’s injury prone and the biggest problem with him is that his entire game is based off athleticism. He’s a top 5 player when healthy but even when healthy I would put him 5 out of the rest of the players in the NBA. Also you can make an argument and say you would prefer Cade, Ant, or JB instead of Giannas just due to the fact of availability. While he’s a monster his decline will be a lot quicker than Luka, Jokic, SGA, and Wemby.

For 1 more ring, I’d give up the farm. Being stuck in the middle sucks.

Just trying to help Boston acquire Giannis cheaply

The dream of Giannis is much better than the reality. Gutting your team for an injury prone and two faced player just doesn’t make any sense under the current CBA

Warriors gave them an offer they declined now wanting an entire stadium for him.

He’s not wrong and this should not be controversial to say

This will be the 4th season in a row he hasn’t finished

I agree with this whole heartedly and I hope my Wolves don’t sell the farm for him

I completely agree.

Interesting question… In fact it makes me think right now who are the top 5 players right now .. and well he has a skill but if you asked me if he deserves multiple assets to trade for him, well that will be a hard one as lets face it Giannis is in his 30’s already and as you can see he even is injured right now… So availability will be his main issue…

Same. Combination of Age, Play Style, Salary, and assets you’d have to give make it a “no go” for my if I was a GM.

Id rather have scottie Barnes for the next 5 years than giannis

Fair points but I think Giannis has not been motivated being in Milwaukee for the last few years. I’d imagine he’s sitting out more than necessary. I’d bet a change of scenery would rejuvenate him. No better place for that than Miami….

SENGOIN

This exact thinking - combined with what it would have done to our starting lineup and depth - is why I was so against the Giannis trade for the Timberwolves.

For the first time in while I actually agree with Simmons.

Giannis is at that stage where he seems to be out more than he’s in.

He’s absolutely correct.

He’s the Greekstreet(clothes) this season.

Giannis has played over 60 games in ¹³⁄₁₃ seasons, with 7 of those being over 70 and 3 over 80.

That’s honestly pretty damn impressive.

This is the first season he’s missing more than 1/4th of a season.

I see the comparison..but it’s Bill Simmons

He’s closer to a scummy real estate crypto bro than he is to Jokic

Embiid has structural problems with his lower body. We don’t know that Giannis has the same. The comparison is a bit extreme.

If trading all of your assets for Giannis made you a good team, then the Bucks would be a good team…

Why would any team want to turn into the current Bucks?

it’s pretty similar to kawhi tbh. when was the last time either had a good playoff run over 10+ games?

Quarter of a billion gamble for a chip. The numbers are so silly now. It’s mental that it’s possible to become a billionaire from playing sports. Close to 5 billion a year spent on players lol. So many of them making 100million+ over a short career should become billionaires if investing it correctly.

The return MIL get might not be so generational after all. They might have to reconsider that GSW offer. Picks/Swaps in years 4-7 (after Steph) is gone might be the best they can get

The Bucks could of got a real load of picks an good young players if he was traded last offseason

Totally fair imo

How often does it work out gutting your team to get a superstar? I saw a proposed trade with the Hornets giving up picks for Giannis, but I’m just thinking they have 3 1st rounders next year, set up beautifully for the future, and would have to match salary. Wouldn’t make sense for most teams with those assets.

Probably top 5. Definitely not top 4.

if nico traded for Giannis instead of AD, then people might have understood his line of thought.

Can’t be running and dunking into your 40’s the same way

I think a lot of the recent injury stuff is more likely to indicate the Bucks trying to tank rather than Giannis’ fragility. The criticism is fair, but Giannis is nowhere near embiid and has still show himself to be dominant when he does play

Fair

“He’s not even that good just trade him”

the contract extension is whats gonna really keep teams from pulling the trigger. overpaying older players seems to be the kiss of death right now

That Nike Grantland hoodie, though.

I don’t think any of these insane ‘sacrifice your franchises future’ offers for a single player ever makes sense. If it’s a proven 23 year old generational talent with a 4-5 year contract locked in and for a team a player actually wants to play for then maybe it does make sense but that would be so rare. Given the precedent that has been set in the past for star players though I’m sure some team will give away way too much for Giannis.

The injury stuff is a little too early to tell unfortunately. He could be on a bad stretch this season and with how shit the bucks are and trade possibilities coming up they’re incentivized to not play him as much. Or he is developing chronic issues that will significantly impact his future like embiid. I think it will take another season or two to see how that goes once he has a new team.

He is getting injured at an alarming rate

Bucks and Gianni’s been done est that horrible Lillard trade. Lillard cried to be back in Portland. With that trade, Mil lost true assets, pillars & their defensive identity. Mil needs to trade dude already. Before his value falls a little. Yeah, you ain’t getting a lot from me

Miami, don’t do it! Keep your team together and continue building.

Bill Simmons is dog shit

Eventually it boils down to where he wants to go. Mavs could trade(obviously still a all time stupid trade) Luka because they and Lakers were confident that Luka will be ok with going to the Lakers.

I don’t get this take at all. Before this year Gianni’s has played at least 60 games every singles season

I think a better comp would be he’s closer to AD a few years ago.

All the signs were there ADs body couldn’t hold up. And it hasn’t. AD was in that top 5-10 range. When healthy he was a true impact player.

Now he’s salary dumped on the Hawks. Things move fast in the nba.

its a valid concern. There are only a handful of teams that makes sense for. You need to trade away assests while still needing an allstar quality player to remain to be contender. Also I dont think any of these up & coming young teams it makes sense cause they are already too solid. The following teams possibly>> Knicks, maybe Raptors?, Pacers?(i dont see a trade), Warriors, … maybe someone like Mavs if they got lucky with lottery again & could package around it

Put both these guys on a rocket and let them inhabit the moon