While the Golden State Warriors may have realized that they won't be landing Giannis Antetokounmpo, they'll still be fascinated and impacted by where the superstar forward ultimately ends up.
Antetokounmpo heading to a Western Conference rival would be a major problem for the Warriors, and more specifically the 2x MVP going to a similar-tiered team like the Portland Trail Blazers would be the absolute nightmare scenario going forward.
Giannis going to Portland would be a nightmare scenario for Warriors
While the Miami Heat continue to be viewed as the team leading the race for Antetokounmpo, the Trail Blazers may have moved into second based on the latest reporting from Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer on Tuesday.
"I think Miami and Portland are still the two teams I am most focused on when it comes to understanding the developing market for Giannis," Fischer said.
Given the Trail Blazers possess some of the Bucks' future draft capital, have a number of intriguing young players, and the necessary contracts to match salary, it wouldn't be surprising at all if they put together a package that proved enough to land Antetokounmpo.
That's a scenario the Warriors should be fervently hoping doesn't come to fruition. As much as Portland may appear to have a brighter future, Golden State would be hoping that some change in fortune could see them finish higher next year after both teams were part of the Play-In Tournament this season.
Adding Antetokounmpo would instantly put the Trail Blazers out of the Warriors' reach, making them potentially the third-best team in the West entering next season behind the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder.
Warriors should prefer Antetokounmpo land in Oklahoma City
After they were eliminated by the Spurs in a thrilling Western Conference Finals, rumors quickly arose speculating whether the Thunder would make a blockbuster play for Antetokounmpo to help bolster their chances of regaining supremacy going forward.
While an incredibly unlikely outcome, Antetokounmpo joining the Thunder might actually be more preferable for the Warriors than the 31-year-old heading to any other conference rival. There's a big gap between Golden State and Oklahoma City anyway, so they wouldn't be impacted significantly outside of having to see Antetokounmpo more during the regular season.
The best outcome for the Warriors is Antetokounmpo staying in the East, something that is also ideal for the man himself according to Fischer. Golden State are already trending in a downward trajectory, and they can't afford for teams around them to be spiking up by landing one of the best players in the league.
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