The Golden State Warriors' distant dream of one day acquiring two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo just became very real. And maybe even doable. His eye is finally wandering, and the Warriors just might have what the Milwaukee Bucks want to let him go.
It'll take an aggressive offer to win this bidding war, obviously, but Golden State doesn't have to start negotiations by dangling everything in its possessions (sans Stephen Curry, obviously) and bringing back Milwaukee's undesirables. Because there might be a way to keep a few assets out of this deal and still pave a path to Antetokounmpo and another plug-and-play contributor.
Golden State should chase Antetokounmpo and Myles Turner with a blockbuster trade pitch that doesn't totally deplete its asset collection.
The Bucks will inevitably seek control of the Warriors' next seven drafts and try to unload Kyle Kuzma in the process. And if Golden State is dead-set on adding Antetokounmpo and potentially granting Stephen Curry one last shot at contention, maybe that's an offer this front office ultimately can't refuse.
If I'm running the Warriors, though, that's not where I'm starting talks. For one, that leaves no room for negotiating; it's a true take-it-or-leave-it offer that basically boils deal discussions down to a single yes-or-no response. If everything is instantly on the table, then offers aren't followed with counters, and there's no meeting in the middle—it's just any and everything Milwaukee could possibly want.
Secondly, if the Association's most asset-rich teams don't jump into the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes due to a lack of readiness (Utah, Brooklyn) or a hesitation to disrupt chemistry (Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Houston, Detroit), then does Golden State have to fork over its entire collection to cast the winning bid?
The New York Knicks essentially don't have a single first-round pick to offer. The Miami Heat can only put two on the table. Who's ready to trump the above trade package from Golden State? Do the Atlanta Hawks really want to cough up that juicy 2026 first (the more favorable between Milwaukee and New Orleans) without knowing where it lands in this loaded draft? Are the Philadelphia 76ers itching to unload prized rookie V.J. Edgecombe and more?
If I'm Golden State, I'm not convinced there are better offers out there. Not a full week before the trade deadline, at least.
Because three future firsts and two future swaps is already a hefty offer, especially when a number of those picks could convey after Curry hangs them up. Plus, the Bucks would gain a few young players with keeper potential in Podziemski, Kuminga, and Jackson-Davis, get out of Turner's nine-figure pact that runs through at least 2027-28, and have the next calendar year to rehab Butler from his torn ACL and flip him next season as a former All-Star with a huge expiring salary.
The Warriors, meanwhile, would have their new (and needed) co-star for Curry in Antetokounmpo, plus a shot-blocking, floor-spacing center in Turner, and Giannis' brother, Thanasis, to help their new star get comfortable right away. And they'd free up a roster spot to convert Pat Spencer's two-way deal into a standard contract.
It's easy to see real win-win potential here—again, without Golden State having to give up the farm. Maybe the Bucks see enough in this swap to do the deal right now. Maybe they hold out for more. Either would be fine with the Warriors, since there's still time to negotiate a deal. And with this offer, there'd be actual room to negotiate on Golden State's end, too.