Today more than ever, it is almost inevitable that Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks are nearing the end of their relationship.
This could happen before the trading deadline on Thursday, February 5, or during the offseason, but Antetokounmpo reportedly indicated he was ready to move on of the Bucks. Milwaukee, naturally, has started listening to offers and might consider sending out the two-time Most Valuable Player before the deadline.
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Still, even if a deal can’t be reached by then, the Bucks could still move Antetokounmpo in the offseason, when suitors would have more financial flexibility and available capital to make a deal.
That said, which teams can actually make a compelling case to land the versatile star?
Here are the potential landing spots for Giannis Antetokounmpo:
This is an option that has emerged in recent days. The Bulls were caught between an attempted rivalry in the East, a failure and a hesitation to completely rebuild. A trade for Antetokounmpo would indicate that Chicago is all-in.
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The Bulls, however, have a mix of young players and draft capital. Chicago can combine several first-round picks and trade picks in future drafts, so the question will come down to how Milwaukee views Chicago’s players. Point guard Josh Giddey (23) and shooting guard Ayo Dosunmu (26) are the most attractive trade chips, but the Bulls will likely also try to offload guard Coby White (25) or center Zach Collins (28).
As with any team looking to make a deal, it would be difficult to part with these high-value assets unless Antetokounmpo commits to his new franchise for the long term. Chicago is close to Milwaukee, and that could provide some comfort for Antetokounmpo.
It will depend on whether the Bucks actually prioritize a return, but the Heat could have a compelling case. Miami has more depth than star power and has some promising young players who could be part of the Bucks’ rebuild.
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The centerpiece would be the 2024-25 All-Star guard Tyler Herro (26), who has had injury problems, but has always been a constant threat when on the pitch. Second year center Kel’el Ware (21 years old) is another intriguing player who has excellent rebounding ability; Ware ranks seventh in the NBA in rebounds this season (435), although he has played far fewer minutes than players before him. Ware has had motor issues, but he is an excellent lob threat and can stretch the floor with the range.
Miami can also offer a combination of Jaime Jáquez Jr. (24), Pelle Larsson (24), Nikola Jovic (22), Kasparas Jakučionis (19) and two first-round picks. And if Miami can move Andrew Wiggins (maybe to the Lakers, for example), the Heat could potentially snag another pick to fit into an Antetokounmpo deal.
While Miami has a mix of talent and draft capital, the Warriors have an abundance of picks. Golden State can trade up to four first-round picks, but it lacks young, promising players that could attract the Bucks. Jonathan Kuminga is the only part of this equation and even then he has been inconsistent and often drifted out of Steve Kerr’s rotation.
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In fact, just to make the salaries work, Golden State would have to include expensive veterans like Draymond Green (who will turn 36 in early March) or Jimmy Butler (36; torn ACL). For a team reportedly looking to rebuild, these simply aren’t exciting options. For Milwaukee to like this deal, you would have to think that the post-Stephen Curry years would lead to lean seasons, and therefore more desirable draft picks. It might be difficult, however, for Bucks general manager Jon Horst to justify a trade that ships Antetokounmpo if there isn’t a promising young player attached to it.
It appears Minnesota was aggressive in the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes, but it may lack the capital to do so. All of this means the Timberwolves would have to include a third or fourth team to execute the deal.
What they do have are early and mid-career players who could give Milwaukee a shot. Jaden McDaniels (25), Terrence Shannon Jr. (25), Rob Dillingham (21) and Joan Beringer (19) are the young pieces. But, given that the Timberwolves are expected to involve one or more other teams?, veterans like Julius Randle and Naz Reid could potentially have to be involved.
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The Bucks would certainly listen, but there’s no doubt it won’t happen unless other teams redirect first-round picks to Milwaukee.
This would have been Antetokounmpo’s preferred landing spot, given the size of his market, his ability to compete for championships and the proximity to international airports that can get him to his native Greece relatively easily.
And while the Knicks have some interesting assets that could attract the Bucks, New York doesn’t have draft capital or promising young players.
On the one hand, the simplest hypothesis is that the center forward Cities of Karl-Anthony would be a transparent exchange, but Milwaukee just signed center Myles Turner to a four-year, $107 million contract that keeps him with the Bucks through the 2027-28 season, with a player option for the following year.
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Turner and Towns have similar skill sets, and Towns looks like a redundancy in Milwaukee. The Bucks are probably more intrigued by the wings OG Anunoby And Mikal Bridgesfrom which New York might be less willing to part ways. The Knicks would almost certainly need the addition of a third or fourth team to facilitate the deal.
The Bucks reportedly prefer young talent and draft capital, which the Knicks don’t necessarily have, at least for now. Cities are 30, bridges 29, Anunoby 28. Backup leader Miles McBride is 25, but he should be an afterthought in any deal. For this to work, the Knicks would have to get creative in finding ways to sweeten their package.
Anyway, an ESPN report Monday February 2 indicated that the Knicks are not aggressively pursuing Antetokounmpo and like their core. An alternative reading of this report is that New York could try to preserve optics if it receives an indication that the Bucks have not expressed interest in their package.
This seems like another interesting spot as the Hawks have a balance of young talent and draft capital. On the one hand, the Hawks already own an extremely valuable draft pick, an unprotected 2026 first-rounder who is the most favorable between the Pelicans and Bucks. New Orleans currently has the third-worst winning percentage in the NBA and the Bucks are 18-27. There’s a good chance this pick is a high lottery pick.
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The Hawks may not want to part with this selection, but Atlanta still has enough draft and trade capital it can offer.
The Bucks, however, may want to flex their talent Jalen Johnson in return. The Hawks have built their team around Johnson and may not make him available. This would complicate things, because Zacharie Risacherbeginner Asa Newell And Luc Kennard probably won’t be enough to sway Milwaukee.
The land
THE Phoenix Suns be an actor in a package led by Green Jalena dynamic but inconsistent athlete who has only played four games this year? THE Cleveland Cavaliers do they feel they need to make a drastic change to compete, potentially locking Evan Mobley into a deal? THE Dallas Mavericks send veterans like Anthony Davis And Klay Thompson in Milwaukee? What about a young team like Wizards of Washingtonwho has more young players than veterans?
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What about already competing teams like the Houston Rockets Or San Antonio Spurs? Could they tear down their current (and successful) versions in an attempt to compete? This seems less likely.
There’s always the possibility that the infamous mystery team is in hiding. The reality is that of the 29 teams in the NBA, with the exception of the Bucks, all but one or two are probably discussing whether there is a viable path to getting him.
This article was originally published on USA TODAY: Giannis Antetokounmpo Landing Spots, Bucks’ Best Trade Partners
