The Giannis Antetokounmpo trade watch just got a little quieter - at least for now.
With the Golden State Warriors swinging a surprise deal for Kristaps Porzingis late Wednesday night, they’ve effectively taken themselves out of the running for the Bucks’ two-time MVP. Golden State sent Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to bring in the injured big man, banking on Porzingis getting healthy in time to help Steph Curry and Draymond Green make one more deep playoff push.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Warriors had been seriously in the mix for Giannis. They reportedly made a pick-heavy offer last week and kept the conversations going into this week.
But over the last 24 hours, the Warriors came to believe what many around the league have suspected - Milwaukee isn’t ready to move Giannis. Not yet, anyway.
That belief has shifted the landscape heading into Thursday’s 3 p.m. ET trade deadline. One fewer suitor in the mix changes the calculus, and with the New York Knicks also reportedly pulling back - fresh off an eight-game win streak and a double-OT thriller over Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets - the list of realistic contenders for Giannis is getting shorter.
So who’s left?
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst weighed in, saying he’s now “60/40” that Giannis won’t be moved before the deadline. Still, he named the Minnesota Timberwolves and Miami Heat as teams to keep an eye on.
“Minnesota is still out there,” Windhorst said on Get Up. “But I’ll be honest with you - I don’t think Minnesota’s offer was as good as Golden State’s. And if Golden State’s offer wasn’t enough to move the needle, and the Wolves can’t sweeten the pot, then they may not be in a realistic position.”
That leaves Miami, a team that’s never shy about swinging big. Windhorst described their offer as a “sort of a player and sort of semi draft pick” package. Decent, but not exactly the kind of blockbuster return you’d expect for a player of Giannis’ caliber.
Other teams have shown interest - Cleveland has kicked the tires, though they’re now tied up with James Harden. Portland has checked in as well, and they do hold some of Milwaukee’s draft capital from the Damian Lillard trade. But none of those situations seem to be pushing the Bucks toward action.
And that’s a key point: Giannis hasn’t forced the issue. He’s under contract through the 2027-28 season, with a $62.8 million player option for that final year.
He signed a three-year, $175.37 million extension back in October 2023, and that deal just kicked in this season. So unless Giannis himself decides to apply pressure - and so far, he hasn’t - Milwaukee has no immediate reason to make a move.
That’s why the smart money is on the Bucks standing pat, at least for now. But come summer?
That’s a different conversation. If teams like Houston, San Antonio, or Detroit fall short of expectations in the postseason, they could re-enter the picture with a fresh sense of urgency and a clearer path to reshaping their rosters.
For now, though, the clock is ticking toward Thursday’s deadline, and it’s looking more and more like Giannis Antetokounmpo isn’t going anywhere - at least not yet.