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With the NBA playoffs underway, the offseason rumor mill is already beginning to churn. Giannis Antetokounmpo's future with the Milwaukee Bucks remains the league's top point of speculation.
Following the Bucks' third consecutive first-round exit and Damian Lillard's Achilles tear, an Antetokounmpo trade appears more likely than ever before. The Ringer's Howard Beck said the initial rumblings are that the two-time MVP would target big-market teams.
“Does Giannis ask out? If he does, does he have a list? I poked around a little bit a few days ago, and the initial thing I got from one person was just like some rumblings that it’s already just the big cities,” Beck said on The Zach Lowe Show. “One of the LA teams or one of the New York teams or maybe Miami, [which is] not a big market, but a glamour market, mid-size market. I think they threw Chicago in there. I can’t remember if Houston came up. It should.”
While the rumblings about Antetokounmpo's trade desires are mostly speculative at this point, market size more often than not plays a factor in NBA stars' wish lists.
What big market teams could make a swing for Giannis Antetokounmpo?
Of the teams in the cities Beck named, the Houston Rockets and Brooklyn Nets can assemble the most compelling trade packages for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Rockets have intriguing young prospects, including Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason and Reed Sheppard, and several highly-valued Phoenix Suns first-round picks. Meanwhile, the Nets have 10 tradable first-rounders and established players such as Cam Thomas, Nic Claxton and Cam Johnson.
Beyond that, the big market picture for Antetokounmpo becomes murkier.
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Chicago could be a dark horse, with five tradable first-rounders and Coby White, Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis coming off impressive seasons.
The New York Knicks' package would be built around established players, as they have only one tradable first-round pick. They could include multiple of Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart. However, it would be difficult for the Bucks to continue building their roster, as they currently have only one tradable first-round pick and no cap space.
The Los Angeles Lakers have one tradable first-round pick (2031) and no high-end young players outside Austin Reaves. The Los Angeles Clippers have two tradable first-rounders and no high-level young prospects.
Meanwhile, the Miami Heat have a little more to work with regarding young players. With Bam Adebayo likely off the table, they could dangle Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Nikola Jovic and Jaime Jacquez Jr. in trade negotiations. However, they have just two tradable first-round picks.
The Golden State Warriors would undoubtedly be interested. However, while they have four tradable first-round picks, they fall well short in the players department outside their big three of Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green. Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody and Quentin Post are the team's best young rotation pieces. Jonathan Kuminga once had appeal but has struggled to crack the lineup late in the season.
With three years left on his contract, it's not a foregone conclusion that Antetokounmpo gets to his preferred destination. The Bucks are a primary example, as they recently acquired Lillard, whose preferred destination was the Heat.
Several small market teams could join the conversation if the Bucks are keen on maximizing their return. The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs could easily assemble intriguing packages. However, it's difficult to envision either giving up a haul without some commitment from Antetokounmpo.
