The Golden State Warriors have gone 0-of-2 on their trade targets this summer, leaving Stephen Curry with a roster that is far from championship contention. They missed out on trading for Paul George before free agency started, then failed again when they attempted to go after Lauri Markkanen from the Utah Jazz.
As he showed during the Olympics, Curry is still one of the best players in the NBA . But at 36 years old, Golden State's championship window, if it still exists, is slowly closing shut.
However, an NBA champion believes there is still a way for Curry and the Warriors to prevent that window from closing completely. On a recent episode of Ticket & The Truth, NBA champion Paul Pierce said the Warriors can revive their championship contender status by trading for Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
"The only way I see Golden State getting back to where they need to get back is if they could find a way to get Giannis over there." - Paul Pierce
Pierce did clarify that he doesn't have any insider information, but rather is just picturing a pathway for Golden State to make its way back to the upper echelon of the league.
Since becoming a media personality, Pierce has had a tendency to spew out controversial takes, to say the least. However, the Boston Celtics legend made a good point here. The Warriors are still looking to make the most of whatever is left of Curry's prime.
Meanwhile, the Bucks have had multiple early playoff exits since winning the NBA championship in 2021. Most of their core is getting older and hasn't been healthy over the last few years.
Milwaukee is still a title contender as long as Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard are there. But if they endure another disappointing playoff run, there is a possibility that the Bucks could blow it up and embark on a rebuild by trading their franchise superstar.
With that said, let's indulge Paul Pierce's dream scenario for the Warriors and put together a potential trade package that the Warriors can offer the Bucks to land Giannis Antetokounmpo in the Bay Area to play with Stephen Curry.
Bucks Trade Giannis Antetokounmpo to Warriors
Curry gets a chance at another ring with Antetokounmpo
It's going to take a monstrous offer from the Warriors to convince the Bucks to take their offer in exchange for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
To preface, this should be the minimum the Bucks should ask from the Warriors. If Golden State made an offer, GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. would essentially need to mortgage the team's entire future.
It's going to take their trio of budding youngsters, Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, and Moses Moody, four future unprotected first round picks, and pick swaps to land one of the best players in the world today to pair him with the greatest shooter the game has ever seen.
The Bucks could and should ask for more, perhaps more picks or favorable swaps and some expiring contracts to sweeten the pot.
Needless to say, the Warriors would most certainly need to add salary such as Andrew Wiggins' contract or potentially Buddy Hield or De'Anthony Melton in the future to orchestrate any type of deal for Antetokounmpo's expensive contract.
A Complicated Trade Situation
It is unlikely a Giannis trade happens this season
As of now, however, Milwaukee does not have any real incentive to part ways with the two-time NBA MVP. Antetokounmpo is still under contract for the next four seasons, though he has a player option for the 2027-28 season.
So, unless he demands a trade, it is highly unlikely any deal goes down in the near future, specifically this season. To reiterate, the Bucks are still widely considered as top contenders in the East.
They still have a solid veteran core that includes Lillard, Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez, and Bobby Portis. But Bucks GM has sneakily begun planting the seeds of a potential youth movement in Milwaukee.
|
Bucks Veteran Core - Ages |
|
|---|---|
|
Player |
Age |
|
Brook Lopez |
36 |
|
Damian Lillard |
34 |
|
Khris Middleton |
33 |
|
Giannis Antetokounmpo |
30 |
If they suffer another early playoff exit, the clock may begin to tick on Antetokounmpo's future in Milwaukee.
Imagining Antetokounmpo on the Warriors with Curry
Warriors reinsert themselves into title contention
Antetokounmpo has been floated as a Warriors' target for quite some time now, so they should be one of the top suitors for the Greek superstar should he enter the rumor mill once again.
Bringing in Antetokounmpo would instantly make the Warriors title contenders again. If you thought the Antetokounmpo-Lillard tandem was deadly, a Curry-Antetokounmpo duo is more of a match made in heaven.
|
Stephen Curry and Giannis Antetokounmpo Accolades |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Category |
Stephen Curry |
Giannis Antetokounmpo |
|
MVPs |
2 |
2 |
|
All-NBA |
10 |
8 |
|
All-Stars |
10 |
8 |
|
Championships |
4 |
1 |
|
Career PPG |
24.8 |
23.4 |
|
Career FG% |
47.3% |
54.5% |
Antetokounmpo's ability to attract the defense inside paired with Curry's gravitational pull from the outside would be unstoppable and a nightmare for opposing teams to deal with on a nightly basis.
With all that said, this is still more of a pipe dream scenario for Golden State. A lot will have to happen for the stars to align on a potential Steph Curry-Giannis Antetokounmpo pairing. Until then, it will remain just that: a dream.
