The Golden State Warriors were unable to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo at the trade deadline. During All-Star Weekend, the Milwaukee Bucks superstar clarified his stance in an interview with ESPN, emphasizing that he is still committed to staying in Milwaukee.
“As of today, I’m committed to the Milwaukee Bucks. You will never hear me say I don’t want to be a Milwaukee Buck,” commented the Greek Freak.
That response was hardly encouraging for Golden State. The Warriors made a strong push to pry Antetokounmpo away before the cutoff and were widely seen as having a competitive proposal. Milwaukee stayed resolute in its stance, forcing Golden State to explore alternatives. The front office ultimately struck a deal with the Atlanta Hawks, shipping out Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to acquire Kristaps Porzingis.
Can the Warriors still land Giannis Antetokounmpo?
The chase for Giannis is not finished. On Monday, fresh optimism surfaced regarding the Warriors’ chances of pulling off a deal this summer.
Yossi Gozlan of Third Apron explained how the Warriors could still position themselves to land Antetokounmpo this offseason, even after parting ways with Kuminga and Hield in the trade deadline deal.
The plan centers on the contract status of Draymond Green and Kristaps Porzingis. Both players could sign extensions that keep them trade-eligible for the offseason. Even better, their first-year salaries can be structured to align with the cap space needed to acquire a max-tier player like Antetokounmpo, who earns $58.5 million.
“It’ll be interesting to see how they handle Porzingis and Green’s contract negotiations. Both can be extended to new deals now that could keep them trade-eligible for the offseason. For example, they could structure their first-year salaries so both can be aggregated for a max player like Antetokounmpo,” Gozlan wrote in his article.
The path for Giannis hard but it’s worth it for Stephen Curry and the Warriors
In short, the Warriors still have a clear path forward. Pulling it off will require strategic thinking from general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. and a willingness to part with two major contributors. Even so, the foundation for a deal is already laid out.
Moving on from Green would not come easily, but acquiring Giannis would demand that kind of sacrifice. Antetokounmpo ranks among the elite talents in the game today. As a two time MVP and former Defensive Player of the Year, he would provide Stephen Curry with the high level co star Golden State has been seeking since Kevin Durant left. Pairing Antetokounmpo with Curry would immediately raise the team’s title aspirations to another level.
For the moment, Giannis Antetokounmpo continues to pledge his loyalty to Milwaukee. Golden State struck out at the trade deadline, and his comments during All Star Weekend hardly sparked confidence about a potential move. Even so, the revelation that the Warriors can craft a serious bid this offseason matters. The possibility remains alive.
