The Golden State Warriors are keeping a close eye on Giannis Antetokounmpo after the Milwaukee Bucks reportedly opened the door to trade talks, according to team insider Monte Poole. With the NBA draft just six weeks away, the race for the two-time MVP is heating up.
Poole wrote for NBC that the Warriors are “hyperventilating over the possibility of acquiring their Holy Grail.” The Bucks, per Shams Charania, are willing to discuss a trade and seek “a young blue-chip talent and/or a surplus of draft picks.”
Golden State holds the 11th pick in the upcoming draft and can offer at least three first-round selections in a potential deal for the 31-year-old superstar. That could tempt Milwaukee, especially with the chance to secure back-to-back picks in a deep draft class.
The relationship between Antetokounmpo and the Bucks has grown tense. The forward reportedly pushed for an NBA investigation into the team for preventing him from playing through a knee injury, and he may have directly expressed a desire to leave.
Why would Antetokounmpo choose a struggling Warriors team? He was the only non-Warrior at Stephen Curry’s All-Star party in San Francisco and has long admired the “harder” path to success that brought Curry and the Warriors four titles. At 31, after two disappointing seasons, he appears focused on personal goals.
But the competition is fierce. Many teams are already calculating how to land the 10-time All-Star, who has averaged a 30-point double-double in four of the last five seasons. Building around him wouldn’t require major adjustments.
The biggest challenge is securing Antetokounmpo’s willingness to join. Beyond that, the Bucks’ preferences matter—they aren’t concerned with Curry’s career finish. Teams like the Miami Heat can offer immediate fits, the Knicks have long pursued Antetokounmpo, and the Toronto Raptors could provide a more attractive package than the Warriors.