NBA insider Zach Lowe of ESPN mentioned Brooklyn Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith as a player the Milwaukee Bucks could acquire if they go all-in on a title run to keep Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Finney-Smith played for the Dallas Mavericks and Nets last season. The Mavericks traded the swingman to the Nets in the Kyrie Irving trade. Finney-Smith averaged 8.3 points, 4.8 boards and 1.5 assists in 66 games in 2022-23 while shooting 39.1% overall, 33.7% from 3 and 76.3% from the foul line.
The 30-year-old Finney-Smith has career NBA averages of 8.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists with the Mavericks and Nets. He is slated to make $13.4 million next season.
Antetokounmpo recently admitted that he would leave the Bucks if there’s a better situation to win an NBA championship. The Bucks won the 2021 title over the Phoenix Suns but lost in the second round of the 2022 playoffs to the Boston Celtics and fell to the Miami Heat in the first round of the 2023 playoffs. Antetokounmpo doesn’t want to spend his entire career with Milwaukee and not win another championship.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brooklyn Nets, Dorian Finney-Smith, Milwaukee Bucks Updates
Antetokounmpo told NBA reporter Tania Ganguli of The New York Times that he will not sign an extension with the Bucks this year. The two-time MVP became eligible for a contract extension in September.
“The real question’s not going to be this year — numbers-wise it doesn’t make sense,” Antetokounmpo said. “But next year, next summer it would make more sense for both parties. Even then, I don’t know.”
Antetokounmpo added: “I would not be the best version of myself if I don’t know that everybody’s on the same page, everybody’s going for a championship, everybody’s going to sacrifice time away from their family like I do. And if I don’t feel that, I’m not signing.”
The Bucks signed Antetokounmpo to a five-year, $228.2 million designated maximum contract extension in December 2020. The future Hall of Famer will make $45.6 million next season.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brooklyn Nets, Dorian Finney-Smith, Milwaukee Bucks Updates
One of the greatest players in NBA history, Antetokounmpo has career averages of 22.6 points, 9.6 rebounds and 4.7 assists. He has won the Most Improved Player of the Year Award, two regular-season MVPs, one Finals MVP and one Defensive Player of the Year Award with the Bucks.
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