Five NBA Teams Preparing for a Potential Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade

Multi-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo has stated he’s not planning to request a trade from the Milwaukee Bucks, but that isn’t stopping teams from forecasting it happening. Milwaukee continues to struggle and remains just outside of the play-in. Even a strong finish to the season will likely see the Bucks pigeonholed into a play-in seed with a ceiling of the seventh or eighth seed. NBA insider Zach Lowe reports that five different teams are considering saving their assets for Antetokounmpo ultimately requesting a move at the deadline or during the offseason: “The Hawks, Warriors, Lakers, Heat and Knicks are all considering holding onto their assets for a potential pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo now or in the Summer.” The Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, and Miami Heat have all been rumored to have interest in Giannis for multiple seasons now. Both the Atlanta Hawks and Los Angeles Lakers could provide tempting offers for Antetokounmpo with enough time to plan. However, all this still falls back on the shoulders of Giannis. Milwaukee is not trading him unless the superstar makes the request to get a fresh start on a contender. Why East Teams Want Giannis Antetokounmpo The Knicks stand out as the first option since rumors suggested Antetokounmpo has named New York as his number one choice during last summer’s discussion with management. Limited draft picks hurt the Knicks chances, but Milwaukee could lean towards appeasing Giannis’ wishes as a thank you for all he gave the franchise. Miami is another team that could likely make Antetokounmpo happy by giving him a larger market if he wants a move. Previous rumors have suggested that Florida’s tax benefits could provide reason for Giannis to want to play for the Heat. Miami also has some interesting young assets and trade pieces to satisfy Milwaukee. Atlanta feels like a dark horse option since they’ve not been a major player on the open market in quite some time. The trade of Trae Young helped their flexibility to move multiple valuable picks and some young assets for a superstar. Antetokounmpo is the dream, but they’ll have a chance to add a star whenever they decide to cash in. Why West Teams Want Giannis Antetokounmpo Golden State badly wants to find a way to improve their roster for contention again. However, it remains a tough task with their main offers consisting of Jonathan Kuminga, role players, and a draft pick this season. Draymond Green or Jimmy Butler would likely have to be moved to make the money work. The Lakers are always an exciting option, but they may have the toughest path. Austin Reaves getting sent to the Bucks in a sign and trade is the most likely option in the offseason, but complications still exist there with a difficult trade dynamic. All these teams still must hope that Antetokounmpo gives up on the Bucks before they enter the difficult situation of finding an ideal trade for both sides. Giannis still giving Milwaukee a chance means that these teams will likely have to wait for him to change his mind, while standing pat at the trade deadline into the offseason.