The Warriors have coveted “The Greek Freak” for years and hoped to pull off a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade in the 2025 offseason, per multiple insiders. However, the Bucks star reportedly has no desire to move to the Western Conference and prefers remaining in the East if and when he gets traded.
According to Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, Antetokounmpo prefers remaining in the Eastern Conference, with teams like the Nets and Raptors atop his radar.
“Giannis Antetokounmpo’s name doesn’t typically come up in trade chatter — but around the league, that’s beginning to shift,” Robinson wrote on May 14.
“While the Milwaukee Bucks have publicly committed to their franchise cornerstone, multiple league sources tell me that if a trade were ever to materialize, Giannis Antetokounmpo would prefer to remain in the Eastern Conference. The reasoning? Strategic control. Player empowerment. Recruiting power. And a desire to shape the next phase of his career on his own terms. Two teams that have emerged as destinations of interest for the two-time MVP are the Toronto Raptors and the Brooklyn Nets.”
Warriors Don’t Meet Specific Demands
The report added that Antetokounmpo has three specific criteria as it pertains to his next home.
- “Staying in the Eastern Conference, to keep his travel and media profile intact.
- Being in a position of control, with a voice in roster building and coaching direction.
- A market where other stars would want to join him — a place that isn’t just a destination for him, but could become a destination because of him. Enter Toronto and Brooklyn.”
Further to Robinson’s report, the Warriors don’t meet the criteria Antetokounmpo seeks in his next destination. For one, they are in the loaded Western Conference, which promises to get stronger in the coming years. Furthermore, they can’t offer him a position of control or the financial flexibility to attract other stars.
Should Warriors Go All In?
ESPN’s Jay Williams has continued to make the case for the Warriors to pull off a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, citing the superstar’s friendship with Stephen Curry.
“Everyone’s been talking about the Houston Rockets and San Antonio,” Williams told ESPN’s “First Take” on May 12. “I’ll throw out another team — I just wouldn’t discount Golden State and Stephen Curry. I think assets-wise, they can have it. You can package Jimmy Butler.
“Just understanding how Giannis has had a proclivity for Steph Curry before, how they can play [together], how you can keep that [title] window open for both — I just think it’s an interesting team to talk about that nobody is really talking about.”
Warriors could potentially use Jimmy Butler’s $54.1 million salary along with young assets such as Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody and a few first-round picks. Kuminga, a restricted free agent, is almost certain to exit Golden State after the 2024-25 season. As such, the Warriors may be best served to trade the fourth-year forward rather than letting him walk for nothing.
Teams are expected to ramp up their pursuit of Antetokounmpo in the 2025 offseason. Many insiders believe the balance of power in the league could shift overnight.
