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The NBA rumor mill will be packed with speculation about Giannis Antetokounmpo this summer.
It is almost certain that, in the coming weeks and months, there will be twists and turns that descend upon the NBA rumor mill, changes that will affect the prime storyline in the league this summer: What will happen with Giannis Antetokounmpo? Chances are, your team–whichever that may be–will have an interest or even a hand in this. The list of potential suitors is long, and includes the usual heavyweights: the Knicks, the Lakers, the Warriors, the Miami Heat.
And more will be involved. The Timberwolves made their run at Antetokounmpo at the trade deadline, as did the Cavaliers. The Nets have loomed as potential suitors, though they knew they’d need to wait until the offseason (and the draft lottery) to put together their best offer.
Wildcards abound, too. Could the Clippers make a push? The Raptors? The Mavericks? The Rockets?
Don’t discount this, either: The Bucks again make a push to juggle the roster and convince Antetokounmpo to re-sign in Milwaukee.
We asked around, and here’s how we’d stack the potential Antetokounmpo suitors.
NBA Rumors: The Big 3 Giannis Antetokounmpo Destinations
- Lakers. The Lakers make the most sense in that it’s one of the teams Antetokounmpo would seek as a destination if he does ask for a trade. The Lakers would have a lot of work to do–they have no real assets to trade to Milwaukee, only first-round picks (three of them!) and cap space that could be used to orchestrate a multi-team mega-deal. “If he says he wants to go to the Lakers and play with Luka Doncic, it will take a lot to get it done, but they’ll get it done,” one Western Conference executive said.
- Knicks. There’s some question about just how deeply involved the Knicks were in Antetokounmpo talks last summer, but the mutual interest remains–and Antetokounmpo could request a Knicks deal. But a straight swap for Karl-Anthony Towns won’t get a deal done. Most likely, the Knicks would have to include Mikal Bridges and take back a bad contract. “They could do a deal that includes that (Myles) Turner contract,” one Eastern Conference exec said. “The Knicks need a big man anyway. If KAT can be re-routed for a young guy and picks, that’s not bad for Milwaukee.”
- Nets. Antetokounmpo is said to have interest in Brooklyn, too. The Bucks would have to take back Michael Porter Jr. (or send him to a third team) but could also pluck a young player from the Nets, as well as a package of first-rounders (perhaps four). The Nets might be looking to get off the merry-go-round of rebuilding, then tearing it down for a star, but Antetokounmpo is too tempting.
GettyLuka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers
Would Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks Just Stay in a Deadlock?
- Bucks. The Bucks won’t trade Antetokounmpo until he asks out, and he has shown no willingness to ask out. If that stalemate continues, it will be for NBA rumors but it will mean Antetokounmpo stays put, and all the talk about a blockbuster trade could end if he simply signs an extension by the October deadline. “The situation reminds me of Damian Lillard in Portland,” the East exec said. “He did not want to ask out and they were not going to move him until he asked. But the longer they stayed like that, the worse it was for everyone.”
- Cavaliers. Cleveland was a surprise addition to the Antetokounmpo mix in the winter, but don’t count them out just because they traded for James Harden. The team is desperate to keep Donovan Mitchell in place, and needs to persuade him to stay. “It’s Defcon 5 for the Mitchell stuff if they don’t go to the Finals or at least the East finals,” the East exec said. “So, they can put (Evan) Mobley on the table and another player and that’s a tough thing for the Bucks to say no to.”
- Miami Heat. It’s almost a cliche that, when a big name comes onto the market, it’s connected to the Miami Heat. But would there be enough on the roster–a package built around Tyler Herro and Kel’El Ware–to really get the Bucks to the table? “I don’t think the Heat and Giannis are a real match,” the East exec said.
NBA Rumors: The Longshots
- The field. “I do think there could be a surprise in all of this,” the West exec said. “Look, every team is considering it, every owner is going to want to know, ‘How can we get Giannis?’ So the Raptors or the Celtics or the Magic–everyone is thinking about this.” Of course, Antetokounmpo will have some say in where he goes, which is going to make it tough for an out-of-nowhere suitor to emerge.
- Warriors. Golden State made a push for Antetokounmpo, but the consensus is that he wants to play with a team where he is the elder statesman, not one where everyone is older than he is. ‘I can’t see Milwaukee wanting a package built around Draymond Green, anyway,” the West exec said.
- Timberwolves. Many were baffled when the Timberwolves were among the top suitors for Antetokounmpo in February. Very baffled, in fact, and it’s unlikely they’ll be back in the mix now. “I don’t know how serious that was, they have little to offer,” the West exec said.
Sean Deveney is a veteran sports reporter covering the NBA, NFL and MLB for Heavy.com. He has written for Heavy since 2019 and has more than two decades of experience covering the NBA, including 17 years as the lead NBA reporter for the Sporting News. Deveney is the author of 7 nonfiction books, including “Fun City,” “Before Wrigley became Wrigley,” and “Facing Michael Jordan.” More about Sean Deveney
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