Giannis Antetokounmpo Was Reportedly Close to a Shocking Trade to the Nets

The future of Giannis Antetokounmpo remains uncertain as the Milwaukee Bucks continue to struggle. Antetokounmpo has said he doesn’t want a trade and hopes to end his career with the Bucks, but previous rumors have seen him looking at other teams. The New York Knicks were confirmed as one team Antetokounmpo would love to join last offseason. NBA personality Scoop B recently claimed that the cross-town rival Brooklyn Nets almost acquired Antetokounmpo last summer: “Conversation I had over breakfast yesterday with a current player who is a former Net and Buck was this: Giannis almost became a Net this past summer. Nets still covet Giannis. From an organizational standpoint, a person on the Nets organizational side told me back in June 2025 that Brooklyn was choosing not to make any big moves for marquee players until this upcoming summer (2026).” Brooklyn has reportedly viewed Antetokounmpo as a dream player they’d cash in draft picks for via a trade, but this was before the team pivoted towards rebuilding. Antetokounmpo requesting a trade could see both contenders and rebuilding teams taking a swing for the fences for such a groundbreaking talent on the market. Why Brooklyn Would Want Giannis Antetokounmpo Many fans would look at this report and think it’s insane to believe a rebuilding team like the Nets would trade for a superstar. However, it is important to note that Brooklyn loses control of their first-round draft picks after this season due to the past trade with the Houston Rockets for James Harden. This season should get the Nets a lottery pick, but their losing only helps other teams and embarrasses the franchise during the next few seasons. Brooklyn will likely look to add better talent on the roster for next season and hope to at least have dreams of making the playoffs. Antetokounmpo has been their dream target for years due to his superb two-way play and ability to carry a flawed roster. The Nets have clearly desired Giannis in the past, and there’s a valid reason to consider it if he reaches the trade market in the offseason. What Can Brooklyn Trade For Giannis? The current Nets roster is quite limited, but there are trade assets there to appease teams looking to rebuild. Brooklyn owns multiple future first-round draft picks from other teams after previous trades with the Knicks and Denver Nuggets. Four rookies are currently on the roster to provide more youth to appease Milwaukee. Most pundits have forecasted the Bucks desiring young players and draft picks if they were to trade their franchise icon. Other teams hold strong assets as well, with rumors going around that many teams are saving assets for the day Giannis requests a trade. The overall point that the Nets almost acquired Antetokounmpo last offseason is hard to believe, but the rumor of interest moving forward makes sense. Brooklyn must improve fast, and every team in the league should be interested in a generational talent on the market. Giannis must still request the trade or all these conversations and theories are for nothing.