The Milwaukee Bucks have still not made Giannis Antetokounmpo available, but for some reason, it feels like more of a matter of when than if. There are going to be a list of teams that want to acquire Antetokounmpo, and they'll believe that they have the best package to get him. On the other hand, there are teams that actually have the pieces to make a competitive trade, but don't plan on going after the Bucks' star, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.
“There is a growing belief among trade-trackers that San Antonio and Houston, like Oklahoma City, do not plan to join the chase for Antetokounmpo even if the Bucks ultimately do decide to consider in-season proposals for their two-time MVP. All three of those teams, as you can imagine, like what they have going,” Stein wrote.
The Thunder were mentioned as one of the teams that could get into the Antetokounmpo, but it was basically an NBA 2K scenario, according to Brett Siegel of Clutch Points.
“The Thunder aren't going to be in those kinds of conversations. I can say that with a lot of confidence. Any speculation of the Thunder going to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo is just one of those 2K scenarios of the giants of the NBA getting better. It's not going to happen. Sam Presti has a clear timeline of how their finances are going to work,” Siegel said.
As for the Spurs, they don't really need an Antetokounmpo trade either, especially with the way they've been playing this season. They have a good, young core that will be good for years to come, and with Victor Wembanyama leading that group, the sky is the limit.
The Rockets would also have a nice package for the Bucks, but they'd have to give up several of their key pieces, which would hurt their depth. Any team that wants to trade for Antetokounmpo knows that it's going to take a lot to get a deal done, which is probably why they're turning their heads.
