Overview of Last Call for Giannis Trades, Plus an NFL Round 3 Deep Dive With Chris Ryan, Joe House, and Peter Schrager
This episode of The Ringer / Bill Simmons Podcast (guests: Chris Ryan, Joe House, Peter Schrager) has two long featured segments: a deep, imaginative sweep of plausible Giannis Antetokounmpo trade scenarios for the Milwaukee Bucks; and an NFL “round 3” conference-championship preview that covers coaching carousel subplots, the two title games (Seahawks–Rams and Patriots–Broncos), and a set of recommended bets (the show’s “Ringer 107” card). The hosts mix basketball roster construction, personalities/fit, and front-office realities with betting-minded, situational NFL analysis.
Key takeaways
- The Bucks–Giannis situation feels imminent and unsustainable: hosts generally believe the team has exhausted fixes and a trade is now plausible/likely if Giannis asks.
- Trade value is complicated by draft protections, past asset-spending (e.g., trades for Jrue Holiday), and Giannis’s contract/age — some teams would have to surrender major assets.
- Favorite Giannis landing spots from the discussion: Detroit, Miami, Atlanta, Houston (Rockets), and — most talked-about as practical — a package to Atlanta. Several other splash trades (Lakers/Luka; Celtics/Tatum; Warriors mortgaging futures) are fun hypotheticals but unlikely.
- NFL: Bills coaching shakeup (Sean McDermott out) raises questions about how much influence Josh Allen should have and whether the team will let a QB effectively pick a head coach. Candidate names and the ethics/practicalities of that process are debated.
- Conference-championship handicapping: hosts favor Seahawks over Rams (Seattle -2.5) and have a contrarian lean on the Patriots against the Broncos (Patriots moneyline + under 50.5 in the show’s Ringer 107 parlay). Key game variables: Sam Darnold’s health, Rams road fatigue, Jared Stidham’s playoff start for Denver, Patriots’ defense and late-season momentum.
Giannis trade scenarios (brief descriptions + verdicts)
The panel ran through multiple “what-if” trades — from least realistic to most plausible. Short summaries below (names and amounts are per the hosts’ hypothetical lists):
Detroit (Cade Cunningham centerpiece)
- What was proposed: Giannis to Detroit for Cade Cunningham + prospects/picks.
- Verdict: Basketball sense — instant contender with two stars — but would Cleveland/Detroit surrender Cade? Hosts like the fit but doubt Milwaukee accepts or Detroit parts with Cade so readily.
Knicks (lateral move)
- What was proposed: Giannis to New York for Portis/Kuzma + role players/picks.
- Verdict: Lateral for the Bucks — unlikely and unsatisfactory for Milwaukee.
Miami (three‑team; Bam Adebayo exchanges)
- What was proposed: a 3‑team deal where Miami would give up Bam (or other big pieces) plus picks; Milwaukee gets assets & picks.
- Verdict: Hosts reacted positively to Miami as a great fit (spoelstra, shooters, spacing). Feasible but complicated because Bam was mostly considered off-limits historically.
Lakers (Luka-for-Giannis idea)
- What was proposed: jaw‑dropping swap in jest — Luka for Giannis (plus contract juggling).
- Verdict: Pure fantasy/“start‑shit” idea — near‑zero chance; would create a massive Luka auction if it did happen.
Philadelphia (Giannis + Gary Harris for Paul George, picks)
- What was proposed: Giannis to the Sixers with Philly sending back Paul George + pick swaps.
- Verdict: Hosts quickly rejected this — it’s hostile to the current Sixers narrative (VJ/Maxey future) and unlikely.
Boston (Jason Tatum straight-up)
- What was proposed: Tatum for Giannis.
- Verdict: Basketball-logical (Boston’s roster construction fits Giannis), but the hosts do not think Boston would trade Tatum — extremely unlikely.
Golden State (mortgage future for an immediate superteam)
- What was proposed: Giannis + Kuzma in exchange for big contracts, draft capital and picks from GSW.
- Verdict: A headline-grabbing scenario but unrealistic — Warriors unlikely to give up multi-year future for a short prime window.
Houston (Rockets: Alperen Şengün or Amen/Thompson + picks)
- What was proposed: Giannis for young building blocks (Şengün/Thompson) + multiple picks.
- Verdict: One of the more appealing realistic packages for Milwaukee — gets young core + picks. Hosts liked Houston as a serious bidding team if structure fits.
San Antonio (Dylan Harper + role players)
- What was proposed: Giannis for a young guard prospect (Dylan Harper) plus expiring money/picks.
- Verdict: Basketballly plausible but Spurs likely unwilling to trade their young core. Also depends on whether Milwaukee prioritizes a retool or re‑start.
Atlanta (favored by Simmons)
- What was proposed: Giannis to the Hawks for CJ McCollum (expiring) + Porzingis + picks (and giving back the Bucks/NO protected pick).
- Verdict: One of the most sensible trade stories in the episode — Atlanta becomes legitimate Eastern contender; Bucks get picks/expirings. Considered the clearest “win-now” destination in the East with manageable assets on both sides.
Overall host position: Giannis trade is possible and multiple good fits exist; the most realistic outcomes are multi-team/multi-asset deals (Miami, Houston, Atlanta, Detroit scenarios all discussed) — pure one‑for‑one superstar swaps (Luka/Tatum) are compelling but unlikely.
NFL Round 3 deep dive — coaching carousel & game breakdowns
Coaching subplot — Bills firing Sean McDermott
- Main issue: McDermott’s firing prompted debate about whether Josh Allen should have influence in the head-coach hire. The panel emphasized the awkwardness if a franchise quarterback tries to dictate a head coach; there’s precedent for QB influence but it’s controversial.
- Candidates discussed/transcribed: Davis Webb (controversial because of his personal connection to Allen), Brian Daboll, Brian Flores, Raheem Morris, Vance Joseph, Kubiak (and a range of other names). Hosts generally warned against letting the QB pick the head coach outright — a messy precedent.
Seahawks vs Rams (NFC Championship)
- Key variables:
- Sam Darnold’s health (oblique concerns after Week prior); Darnold had a huge fourth quarter vs Rams earlier in season.
- Kenneth Walker / Zach Charbonnet — interior run/pass-protection nuances (Charbonnet injury complicates Seattle’s front-court mix).
- Rams’ three straight road games and potential fatigue; Rams’ defense advanced metrics were good but hosts highlighted some eyeball concerns in recent weeks.
- Cooper Kupp revenge narrative (former Ram facing former team).
- Betting slant: hosts leaned Seahawks -2.5 (Seattle home-field, defense, and recent form) and flagged special-teams / Rams road fatigue as a worry for LA.
Patriots vs Broncos (AFC Championship)
- Major storyline: Jared Stidham (backup) starting for Denver because Bo Nix/Justin (?) was hurt — an extremely rare first-start-in-season playoff debut. Sean Payton’s faith in Stidham (Payton brought him to Denver) was debated.
- Points of friction:
- Broncos offensive line and running game vs Patriots’ top run defense.
- Jared Stidham’s lack of recent meaningful game reps; historical sample shows teams where a backup’s first start in the playoffs trends poorly (hosts cited previous comparisons).
- Patriots’ momentum, defense, and the risk/reward of Denver trying trick/all-kitchen-sink offense.
- Betting slant: hosts leaned Patriots (the show took Patriots moneyline combined with an “under 50.5” — expressing distrust of Denver laying 4–5 points at home with an untested playoff QB).
Ringer 107 picks (final card from the episode)
The show’s official slate (parlay+bets they discussed/endorsed):
- Patriots moneyline parlayed with Under 50.5 (Patriots ML + under 50.5) — main Ringer 107 parlay leg.
- Ramondre Stevenson — longest reception OVER 10.5 yards (he’s done it 7 of his last 9).
- Seahawks -2.5 vs Rams (Seattle straight up / cover lean).
- Rashid Shaheed to record 5+ rushing yards (one designed run / sweep being a likely play).
Other props mentioned and discussed: Cooper Kupp 30+ receiving yards / anytime TD, Matthew Stafford to throw an interception (the show considered Stafford INT prop), Jared Stidham completions over/under (19.5), Drake Maye longest rush, etc.
(As always: these were the hosts’ opinions — lines move quickly; check your sportsbook.)
Notable quotes / soundbites
- “Just ask for a trade. The Bucks fans will get over it.” — on Giannis’ demeanor and the franchise reality.
- “There’s nothing in this that’s interesting to me if I’m Milwaukee.” — on a particular Detroit proposal.
- “If you have a chance to get Giannis, you do anything you can.” — on owners’ appetite for a star in the modern NBA.
- On Jared Stidham: “Sean Payton loved him so much that he drafted Bo Nix in the first round with him on the roster.” (used to illustrate Payton’s commitment to Stidham).
Action items / listener takeaways
- NBA listeners: watch the Giannis/Milwaukee story over the next two weeks — protected picks, expirings, and Milwaukee’s willingness to accept a retool vs. rebuild package are the decisive factors. Miami, Atlanta, Houston are the most logical short lists to monitor.
- NFL/bettors: be wary of large lines on teams forced to start a backup for the first time in the playoffs (Stidham). Home-field + rest advantage matters in playoff spreads; Rams’ third straight road game is a measurable concern. The show’s Ringer 107 card packs a Patriots ML + under target; also consider the Seahawks -2.5 lean and small props (Ramondre Stevenson over 10.5 longest reception; Shaheed 5+ rush yards).
- For the coaching carousel: if Josh Allen (or any franchise QB) tries to exert heavy influence on the Buffalo HC hire, expect messy optics and a possible long‑term organizational tension; hosts recommend not letting a QB pick a HC outright.
— End of summary.