Latest updates on Giannis Antetokounmpo from @TheSteinLine: - Wolves "undeniably making an all-out push" to make this trade before the deadline - Lakers would become a "viable threat" to land Giannis if he's not traded at the deadline - Warriors offer presumed to involve Draymond Green, Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, draft capital - Bucks hesitant to take back Draymond's contract; would want him re-routed to a third team - Blazers would love to trade for Giannis directly; Giannis' camp has signaled no interest of signing extension in Portland
Spurs, Thunder and Lakers aren't legit if he's traded by the deadline. But if this thing rolls into the offseason, any or all of those 3 could be on the table as possibilities.
https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/283724/Giannis-Antetokounmpo-Talks-Candidly-About-Conflicted-Feelings-Amid-Trade-Talks Giannis Antetokounmpo stated what can be interpreted as his idealized desire to remain with the Milwaukee Bucks for his entire career in an emotional pregame conversation with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Tuesday. The two-time MVP spoke extensively about his ties to the city while sidelined with a calf strain amid intense trade rumors following reports Antetokounmpo communicated his desire to exit the Bucks either by the trade deadline or in the offseason. "What I want deep down in my heart is I want to be a Milwaukee Buck for the rest of my career and win here," Antetokounmpo said. The 31-year-old forward outlined his deep personal and family connections to Milwaukee, where he has spent 13 years since arriving at age 18. He emphasized that he has now spent as much time in Milwaukee as he did in Greece before joining the NBA. "I've spent more time in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, than in my country," Antetokounmpo said. "I've created more memories in this city than in my country." Antetokounmpo detailed the milestones he has achieved in Milwaukee, from learning to become an NBA player to winning a championship and MVP awards. His father is buried in the city, he married his wife Mariah there, and his children were born in Milwaukee. "My father is buried here. So tell me you, when I open the passport of my kids and it says born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, my dad is buried here, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin," Antetokounmpo said. "So people have the audacity to come tell me and say 'this guy really doesn't love Milwaukee.' I don't love Milwaukee?" Antetokounmpo expressed frustration with those questioning his commitment while acknowledging the organization's struggles nearly five years after delivering the 2021 NBA championship. When asked about his input into potential trade discussions, Antetokounmpo responded flatly: "Zero. Zero. I'm not." However, he voiced concern about the team's direction and the urgency to win another championship during his prime years. Antetokounmpo estimates he has approximately five more seasons of elite play remaining. "I always listen," Antetokounmpo said. "That's why I'm still here. I always listen and trust. But what I'm trying to say, how many chances do I have left to win a championship? So, you just gotta [be] more careful and more urgent in every decision that you make moving forward. It doesn't change. I think I've listened since day one and that will never change. I have great respect, love and likeness for Jon and the ownership and that will never be different. Won't change. But at the end of the day..." He paused for nearly eight seconds before concluding: "You gotta look." Despite his deep connection to Milwaukee, Antetokounmpo acknowledged the reality of his situation and the need to evaluate all options given his championship window. "You cannot say," Antetokounmpo said. "I've always been, always, always, this is the NBA, I love watching it, I always make hypothetical scenarios. What if I play with LeBron [James]? What if I play with [Kevin Durant]? What if play with [Michael] Jordan? What if I play with Kobe [Bryant]? Everybody makes hypotheticals scenarios. What if you could get, blah blah blah. But at the end of the day, you have to commit somewhere, right? You have to commit somewhere. And I think for 13 years I've committed here more than anybody, any player, ever committed. "If you ask me what do I really want, deep down in my heart? I want to be a Milwaukee Buck until I retire and win a championship here. End of sentence. If that is not possible to happen, and if then you realize maybe that's not the case and maybe they're looking elsewhere and that's not what they're trying to do, then automatically you have to be in the plans of what they're trying to do or weigh the other options. It's normal." Many league insiders are bracing for Antetokounmpo to not be traded by the deadline and for the bidding to resume again around the time of the lottery or even closer to the draft. Some believe the Bucks are even holding out hope that they can ultimately retain Antetokounmpo long-term if they end up with one of the top picks at the lottery.
[Windhorst] “Golden State has moved on. Minnesota, who was also very aggressively trying to get Giannis — they have also moved on. So you can tell Minnesota and Golden State are not getting Giannis… the Miami Heat are still out there. The Heat are still trying to make moves to improve their offer.”
The Heat don't have the quality picks... Would Herro, Ware, and a slew of firsts work as the meat on the bone? I'm not so sure.
[Charania] "(The Warriors) came to the belief over the last 24 hours that the Bucks were not going to be moving their two-time MVP at this trade deadline"
[Charania] The Milwaukee Bucks have indicated to teams that they are keeping Giannis Antetokounmpo through the trade deadline and will start making other trades, sources tell ESPN. https://bsky.app/profile/shamsbot.bsky.social/post/3me4ul4y7ts2a
It's the "other trades" that I've wondered about. Giannis stays "injured". High draft pick. Trade peripheral players for more draft capital. That sort of thing?
I expect they're just going to end up trading him in the offseason. The only real pressure to do the deal now is to keep him and his agent happy plus the risk of him having a serious injury over the next few months. I don't think they're going to become some pariah and any worse of a destination for stars than they already are if they make Giannis wait until the offseason, so that should be pretty much a non-factor for them. There will be more teams who can put together a good package for him if they wait, since all the poison pills and implied NTCs and such will have expired.
Will Adam Silver send them a gift? (Talk of shut down Giannis, tank, play for lottery — currently “8th best” odds with Memphis; get top 3 pick, keep Giannis)
