In the wake of Milwaukee Bucks All-Star Damian Lillard’s blood clot in his right calf, NBA analyst Gilbert Arenas suggests the team consider trading All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Oklahoma City Thunder. With Lillard’s future uncertain, Arenas sees this upcoming offseason as an opportunity for the Bucks to rebuild, starting with a deal that will give Milwaukee talented players and a plethora of future first-round picks.

Arenas proposes the Bucks land a deal with the Thunder centered around Antetokounmpo to maximize their return, per Gil’s Arena.

“Best thing they can do is send Giannis to the only place that can change their franchise a little bit, OKC. I’ll give you Giannis, give me some of those picks and some of that, and come on,” Arenas said. “The only thing that’s going to build the franchise is trying to get some of those draft picks. No free agents are going to come there.”

For Arenas, a potential Thunder trade could be the most significant return the Bucks will ever get for Antetokounmpo.

“There [are] just certain cities the market itself can’t sustain a certain amount of players that’s making that type of money,” Arenas added. “If this was New York’s team, I can bring on two more superstars and be fine.”

Giannis Antetokounmpo is under contract for two more seasons. The third year of his deal (2027-28) is a player option worth $62.7 million.

After the news of Bucks All-Star Damian Lillard’s diagnosis broke, Lillard released a statement about his future with the Bucks. The message proved he was thinking positively about his future.

Lillard released the statement, per NBA insider Chris Haynes.

“It’s unfortunate that something outside of my control would come up,” Lillard said. “Along with the Bucks’ medical staff, our priorities are to protect my health and safety. As much as I love basketball, I need to be there for my kids and my family. I’m grateful the Bucks acted quickly on this. They’ve been supportive and proactive throughout this process. I look forward to moving past this and continuing my career.”

The good news for Lillard is that the Bucks announced he is on a blood-thinning medication that has stabilized and decreased the clotting. Lillard is expected to recover and resume playing entirely. However, there’s no timetable set for his return to the Bucks.

Meanwhile, the Bucks are in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, fighting for home-court advantage.