Well, it looks like the Giannis Antetokounmpo rumors have subsided — at least for now.
I believe Raptors Nation is well aware of the Giannis rumors that have been the subject of attention for over a week now. However, given these recent developments, there are indications that Toronto has a couple of alternative plans if their dream "big fish" remains in Milwaukee.
The marquee name now currently making the rounds as being on their radar is Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant. There is certainly a hypothetical package that could potentially land him, centered around a combination of RJ Barrett and Jakob Poeltl, along with draft capital, to acquire the aging but still capable NBA superstar.
Losing Barrett shouldn't be too much of a loss for Toronto, given their abundance of talented wings. However, Poeltl's noticeable absence at center would create a significant void that will need to be addressed as soon as possible.
And here's where Toronto looks once again to the Bucks, not for their franchise cornerstone, but for an impending free agent big man who has been a staple in Milwaukee for many years: Brook Lopez.
Brook Lopez is an ideal Raptors target - if their star trade hopes flourish
NBA insider Jake Fischer highlighted Milwaukee's crucial upcoming offseason, not only due to the Antetokounmpo rumors but also because of the housekeeping decisions they need to make regarding their many impending free agents.
Fischer would note in the June 11 edition of his The People's Insider column for Marc Stein's Substack:
"How Milwaukee gets better for next season, even if it finds itself focused on simply bolstering this roster around Antetokounmpo, is a bit murkier. The Bucks only have the No. 55 pick at their current disposal and are about to watch Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis become free agents … provided Portis bypasses his $13.4 million player option between now and June 29. And both players are expected to generate plenty of external interest."Jake Fischer
If Poeltl’s contract becomes a necessary step to push Toronto toward a star trade, they’ll need more than just relying on the draft to find a suitable replacement. Brook Lopez, while on the older side, still has a bit left in the tank to contribute to a winning team.
I imagine that, although Lopez is expected to have attractive suitors like the Lakers or Rockets—as Fischer also highlighted—he might be persuaded to accept a veteran’s minimum deal or a mid-level exception to join a roster led by a hypothetical core that could include Kevin Durant at the helm.
Of course, this might just be me grasping at straws long before anything truly comes to fruition, but it's certainly a worthwhile consideration. Toronto has long been known for its defensive anchoring centers, and while you could argue that Lopez has lost a step recently, it wasn't too long ago that he was a frontrunner in DPOY conversations.
I’d love to see him in Toronto, even if it's just a short-term solution for the Raptors' hopeful title window. However, this vision depends largely on how Toronto handles Jakob Poeltl this offseason.