Former Warriors guard is quietly destroying team's dream Giannis trade

One of the worst-kept secrets in the NBA is that the Golden State Warriors would move mountains to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo. The same is true for every team, of course, but the Warriors' interest in Antetokounmpo is well-documented and persistent.

Unfortunately, it may ultimately be a player the Warriors once traded who prevents the franchise from being able to acquire the two-time MVP: Ryan Rollins.

Golden State landed Rollins in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft, but traded him just a year later in the deal that brought Chris Paul to the Bay Area. Instant remorse appears to be setting in, as the 23-year-old is actively breaking out with Antetokounmpo and the Bucks.

Antetokounmpo made it clear just how highly he thinks of Rollins, calling him a "student of the game" and praising him for spending extensive time learning from two-time NBA champion Rajon Rondo.

One might not think too much of Antetokounmpo praising a teammate, but Rollins' recent 25-point eruption just so happens to have coincided with the former Finals MVP uttering the words the Warriors were hoping to never hear from him:

With Rollins helping Milwaukee get off to a 3-1 start and Antetokounmpo doubling down on his commitment to the franchise, the Warriors' dream trade is acti

Ryan Rollins helping Bucks win games as Giannis says he isn't leaving

Rollins isn't just along for the ride in 2025-26, but has instead turned a breakout 2024-25 campaign into a continued sign of his development. He's averaging 15.3 points, 4.3 assists, 3.8 rebounds, 1.5 offensive boards, 3.0 steals, and 1.8 three-point field goals made per game.

That includes his most recent outings, during which he posted 25 points against the New York Knicks, and 14 points and eight assists against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Rollins has scored at least nine points in all four of Milwaukee's games this season, and has yet to finish an outing with fewer than two steals. It may seem sudden, but the former Warriors guard was building toward this breakout in 2024-25.

Rollins finished the 2024-25 season with averages of 15.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.8 assists, and 2.2 three-point field goals made per 36 minutes—and is now translating that production to a per-game basis.

In the process, Rollins is providing Milwaukee with the two-way value they didn't expect to have from its perimeter players after a polarizing offseason.

If Bucks overachieve, does Giannis really have reason to request a trade?

There's a clear argument for Antetokounmpo having a reason to leave Milwaukee as soon as the 2026 NBA trade deadline. He's a 30-year-old superstar who has already delivered a championship to the Bucks, but also hasn't been out of the first round of the playoffs since 2022.

With the financial burden of stretching Damian Lillard's contract factored in, it's thus fair to question if it's wise to tie the remainder of his prime to Milwaukee.

Rollins is developing rapidly at just 23 years of age, however, and is thus changing the dynamic of the Bucks' rotation. If he can sustain this growth, then Milwaukee will have a minimum of three high-level two-way players to build with in Antetokounmpo, Rollins, and Myles Turner.

AJ Green is actively making the case for being the fourth player in that arena as a competitive defender who's already established himself as one of the best shooters in the NBA.

If Antetokounmpo decides that what Milwaukee is building is worth sticking around for, then the Warriors' dream of landing him in a blockbuster trade would instantly fall to pieces. Free agency would still be an option in 2027, but Stephen Curry will turn 39 before that opportunity arises.

It's still early enough that the Warriors could have a realistic shot at acquiring Antetokounmpo by February, but a former player is shockingly tanking their odds.