Chris Paul Trade Rumors: Rivals Think Bucks Will Try to Land PG from Thunder

The Milwaukee Bucks' second-round exit against the Miami Heat cannot be classified as anything but a shocking disappointment even though Giannis Antetokounmpo missed some of the series because of an ankle injury.

Bucks fans looking for some type of silver lining might be able to turn their attention toward Chris Paul.

According to Marc Stein of the New York Times, some "rival teams" think the Bucks will "explore trading for Chris Paul" if the Oklahoma City Thunder elect to move the veteran point guard.

It may make sense for OKC to trade Paul, as it could facilitate a rebuild around young players such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luguentz Dort. Paul is owed more than $85 million over the next two seasons, which doesn't fit with a rebuilding team's timeline. 

As Stein pointed out, the Bucks may have trouble matching salaries in a Paul trade, but such a deal could indicate to Antetokounmpo how serious the team is about winning.

Giannis is set to become an unrestricted free agent following the 2020-21 campaign, and losing the franchise cornerstone to another team would be a brutal blow for the Bucks. He is only 25 years old and will likely win the league MVP for the second straight season.

As long as he is on the roster, Milwaukee's championship window is open.

Adding Paul would be a significant boost to that window in the immediate future, as the 10-time All-Star and eight-time All-NBA selection proved he can still battle with the league's best when he helped the Thunder push James Harden, Russell Westbrook and the Houston Rockets to seven games in a tightly contested first-round series.

Paul can shoot from the outside, attack the lane to create his own shots and facilitate while running the offense. His presence alone would make it far more difficult for opposing defenses to build a wall around the rim whenever Antetokounmpo has the ball in the playoffs.

It would be a drastic roster shakeup, but the upcoming offseason is monumentally important for the Bucks, as their future as a championship contender is hanging in the balance.