“Mutual interest” exists between the Raptors and Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, veteran beat writer Doug Smith writes in his latest mailbag for The Toronto Star.
Antetokounmpo is reportedly mulling his future in Milwaukee and is expected to let the Bucks know at some point soon whether he remains committed to the team or would prefer to seek a change of scenery. While Shams Charania of ESPN reported a few weeks ago that Antetokounmpo is more “open-minded” than in the past about taking the latter route, there has been no indication to this point that he’s looking to leave the Bucks.
It’s no surprise that the Raptors would have interest in Antetokounmpo if the Bucks were to entertain the idea of trading him. Toronto’s president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri has long coveted the two-time MVP, having reportedly made efforts to trade into the 2013 draft to select him, and the Raptors are said to be viewed by rival teams as a candidate to pursue a major move this summer.
Antetokounmpo’s potential interest in the Raptors would be more notable. The star forward has always spoken highly of Ujiri, who helped Giannis gain Greek citizenship when his family moved from Lagos, Nigeria to Athens, per Smith. There has also been speculation that if Antetokounmpo were to seek a trade, he might prefer to remain in the Eastern Conference, where the path to the NBA Finals in the coming years looks far less crowded. But again, that’s just speculation.
With no indication yet that Antetokounmpo will request a trade and the Raptors certain to face a ton of competition if he does, the odds are against the 30-year-old ending up in Toronto, Smith acknowledges.
Still, he views Toronto as a trade partner that would make some sense for the Bucks, given that the Raptors control all their own future first-round picks and have a variety of sizable contracts that could be considered for inclusion in a trade package for matching purposes. They also have enough wing depth that they could give up a strong combination of young players and veterans without becoming shorthanded at the position, Smith adds.
I don’t think Toronto has more to offer than Houston or San Antonio if they are willing to let Castle go
If Milwaukee prefers a wing as a headliner instead of a Sengun, (even if Scottie Barnes had a down year from deep), you could easily argue he’s a better asset than Castle and still is only going into age 24 season. Barnes RJ and Walter is cap compliant for Giannis plus you throw in pick #9 this year and a couple other picks. Quickley Dick Ingram Giannis Poeltl with Agbaji Mogbo Shead, Battle off the bench before other moves is pretty solid
Barnes is a much better asset than Castle but they wouldn’t be trading Barnes, he’s too important to the team. It would be something like Quickley, Walter, Agbaji, Dick and all the picks. I don’t think that gets it done over what Houston or San Antonio has to offer but there’s always the possibility that Giannis wants to play in Toronto and nowhere else that could put Toronto in the driver’s seat.
I like Quickley but he’s not a good enough player headliner to go along with the picks if nothing is gonna be as high as San Antonio or Houston this year for example
“Barnes is a much better asset than Castle but they wouldn’t be trading Barnes, he’s too important to the team.”
imo, there’s no chance Milwaukee agrees to any trade of Giannis if Barnes isn’t involved. I think IQ plus those other players and picks gets an immediate rejection by Milwaukee. It cost the Knicks IQ and RJ just to get OG and Precious. IQ’s stock certainly hasn’t risen to the point where he’s a headliner for an MVP candidate like Giannis. Barnes has to be the centerpiece along with every tradeable pick.
This is basically my logic agreed. Giannis to Toronto doesn’t happen without Scottie, but their starting lineup and top part of bench would still be in good shape, not completely gutted like most teams. Plus as long as they send out similar money to Giannis, they should still have some money to play with
The only pick in the Anunoby trade was a 2024 2nd rounder. Presumably, there would be many of picks involved in a Giannis trade. I guess I don’t know why Toronto would ever include Scottie in a Giannis trade because without Scottie they’d just have Giannis trying to get them a #7 seed all on his own. I assume that if Toronto were ever to be involved in a trade like this, the return is likely to be “picks-heavy.”
I don’t agree. Barnes is about to start a new max contract and was terrible offensively last year. I’d rather have Castle.
So you take Stephon Castle over Barnes if you’re worried about offense? Barnes had a better FGP, PPG and APG. They were both terrible from deep. Castle’s a decent defender but he’s got nothing on Barnes. They were both R.O.Y. but Barnes was from a much better draft class.
So you take Stephon Castle over Barnes if you’re worried about offense? Barnes had a better FGP, PPG and APG last season. They were both terrible from deep. Defensively Castle is decent but he’s got nothing on Barnes. Barnes can defend 1-4 and some smaller bigs.
I understand that Castle was R.O.Y. but he was the best season of a bad draft class. Barnes was R.O.Y.in a good draft and he’s a one time All-Star.
You don’t give up Castle. He is perfect with Giannis. The #2 pick (Harper) is a Huge get tor Bucks. Spurs can make trade without giving up Castle.
I get the several 1st round picks as appealing to the Bucks but several large contracts? How’s that appealing?
It perhaps wasn’t worded as well as it should be, but my point was that there isn’t necessarily one specific contract they have to include to make the math work — they have a few options, some of which may appeal to Milwaukee more than others.
What’s appealing about future draft picks that most likely are late first round picks and are a gamble anyway. Milwaukee is going to want high level young talent and multiple first round picks that have value. So who fits. Not Toronto. IMO. More trending towards a Houston,San Antonio or perhaps a Memphis, IMO.
Salary matching for trade
That’s your argument,go get something to eat.
Name some tradable names please….
You can’t center this trade around draft picks. Imagine trading Giannis for a package that winds up essentially consisting of Joe Alexander, DJ Wilson, MarJon Beauchamp and Thon Maker. That’s a very realistic outcome if you center this trade around draft picks and would set this organization back over a decade or more.
If I am the bucks then Scottie Barnes has to be in the deal. I think that still works for Toronto. They would still have a strong supporting cast to put around Giannis.
I don’t care where Giannis prefers to go. The Bucks organization doesn’t owe him screwing the present and future of this team just to make him happier. Bucks organization owes their fans much more than they owe Giannis and if they want to keep those fans they need to bring the best return possible back in this trade which in my mind seems most likely to come from Houston.
What are you talking about? 1st round picks plus scottie Barnes and rj is zn excellent package
No it’s really not.
Arkscout you’re just afraid for raptors to get him!
Giannis for Scottie, just do it
Bucks get: Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves, Moses Moody, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Buddy Hield, Brandin Podziemski and picks
Lakers get: Draymond Green, A.J. Green
Suns get: Jimmy Butler
Warriors get: Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant
Better package than anything Toronto could give them.
lol
Lakers give up Rui and Reaves for Draymond Green? Lol
Why on earth would the Lakers help the warriors?
They want Draymond to cancel out Luka’s bad defense and run the point for Bron and Luka.
Bad trade idea. The Lakers need a Center. Everyone knows that, except you.
playin with legos
i see a lot of idiotic things on the internet but this takes the cake…trade Giannis for a bunch of chumps headlined by austin reaves? you’re delusional pop
You think Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves, Moses Moody, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Buddy Hield, Brandin Podziemski are a “bunch of chumps”?
You do not know ball then, opinion discarded. If the Bucks get all those guys they are a top 4 team next year and beyond. Shut up next time
You’re right, anyone would be thrilled to get all that talent for a second rate player like Giannis lmao. That would be the worst trade in the history of sports
Davey J proving again to the world that he does not know ball
DaveyJ, given the next few weeks will likely bring some wild surprises, why not?! . Thoughts to make it work.
1) Suns would need Kuminga as well as Jimmy.
2) Lakers would want more than the Green brothers, and really, really need a C. Also give them Portis (an expiring contract) Milwaukee wants to lose
3) For Milwaukee, Reaves, Podz, Rui, and Moody are a great core for rebuild. There would also need to be 3 firsts, 3 seconds and swaps to make this work.
4) Warriors would take bad Connaughton deal off MIlwaukee’s hands to help them with rebuild.
“For Milwaukee, Reaves, Podz, Rui, and Moody are a great core for rebuild”
That core is a lottery team. They’d be lucky to win 25 games.
Like a rotten core lol ….. anyone who has a conversation with a FankenStein you have to wonder about .
Reaves and Podz are both SGs. How do you play them both.
> That core is a lottery team. They’d be lucky to win
> 25 games.
I’ll give you that. Reaves and Podz (22 yrs old) would be a solid young and improving backcourt, with strong intangibles. They’re keepers. But the rest of ‘em are mediocre.
Do any of you realize the offers Spurs and Rockets can make. Are you able to understand.
Spurs, Rockets, Detroit, OKC, and Orlando all have much better packages to offer than Warriors.
@aristotle
1) Suns can want whoever they want, does not change how handcuffed they are, they are cooked, they are limited to salary matching only. Jimmy actually is a better fit there. No Kuminga needed. 1-1 KD-Jimmy deal makes sense for all parties, esp if GSW replace Kerr with Andre at KD’s request.
2) Draymond and AJ arent brothers. Lebron wants Draymond. Lebron gets Draymond. Draymond cancels out Luka’s bad defense. The money matches with them in this package too.
3) Agreed
4) If they can afford him, sure. Not sure how much salary GSW has to work with if they have Giannis, Steph and KD all together though.
1- As much as I’d prefer KD over Jimmy – the initial sentiment at conclusion of trade deadline was disappointment and concern – I’m gonna guess KD’s mindset hasn’t changed in 4 months; so he’s realistically a no-go to return to Dubs.
2- If Podz is the sticking point in getting a Giannis-to-Dubs trade accomplished – because, say, the Bucks want him and the Dubs are reluctant to include him in the deal – then that should be the only way Dubs move off Podz so quickly. Otherwise, I think he needs to stick around because his non-monetary worth far exceeds what he is paid now and in the short-term future.
3- People can gabber on all they want about the Spurs, or the Rockets, or the Knicks, or the Raptors now (yeah right). When it comes down to it, it’s been me, Davey J, and is there anyone else on here(?) who have been trying and trying again to convince others that the Dubs have as good a shot as any team out there to reel in Giannis. Let’s see…..Dubs are dangling a SUREFIRE 20ppg 22-year old! What else….Dubs can dangle a perennial DPOY candidate who defends multiple positions AND can handle the ball and orchestrate an offense. Does any other team out there have and/or would be willing to offer something like this as their STARTING talking point?? Does it really matter that a team like the Rockets or Spurs might be able to offer an extra 1st? Those teams are expected to be good the next several years REGARDLESS if Giannis is suiting up for them or they stand pat. So, with that texted, does the Rockets’ or the Spurs’ or, say, the Thunders’ draft capital/positioning – as a selling point in a Giannis deal – put them all that far ahead of the type of package the Dubs can offer: a bonafide scoring threat (with room to grow) who just needs a change of scenery and a better chance to prove his value, a perennial DPOY candidate with a team-friendly contract which expires in a couple years, the Bucks choice of either Hield or Moody, AND future draft compensation (assuming at least two 1sts)?
4- Giannis, AJ Green, and Connaughton for Kuminga, Dray, Moody, two 1sts, and future 2nd swaps. Dubs would be above the first apron but not the second apron. They would need scrubs though to fill out rest of roster.
If GSW replaces Steve with Andre, I bet a billion dollars KD and everyone else will be banging down the door to play with Steph. Kerr is the reason why no FAs want to play here, KD hated Kerr for putting arbitrary minutes restrictions on him when he did not request him to.
Podz is from Milwaukee, they are going to want him and he will want to play there. He’s plenty good and this trade will give him the best chance to elevate his game. I already had 1 freak idiot in these replies call me delusional for this package, but this package is absolutely fantastic, there’s zero “scrubs” in the deal. GSW should move on from him in a bunch of trades, but only for a superstar.
Kuminga isn’t in this trade because his situation is too much of a wild card, and the complications with signing and trading someone in a multi-team deal might not even be feasible.
What do Dubs do about the backup PG spot then with Podz gone? Use Spencer? If Podz goes, then I don’t think you can move Draymond in the same offseason – lose TWO of your ball handlers/offensive orchestrators? Plus, as mentioned, Podz works on the cheap for the Dubs, who would need SEVERAL guys like that if they have any hope of not skyrocketing past the second apron into ‘the black hole of payroll violations’.
Pat Spencer stinks to high heaven and should be traded too. Sign Ben Simmons to be the backup PG. He has the size.
Honestly, GSW really should remove anyone not named Curry under 6’6″. This is the way. If keeping Kerr, do not give him any options to go small, so then he will stop going small.
So stupid
‘Dubs Without Their Scrubs’
What the 2025-26 Golden State Warriors scoring distribution would look like, minus subsequent additions (or knowing who are the 2-ways), if the Giannis-AJ-Pat for JK-Dray-Moody-picks trade proposal were to turn into blissful reality
#1: Giannis….29 ppg
#2: Steph……22 ppg
#3: Jimmy…..16 ppg
#4: Brandin….14 ppg
#5: Buddy……12 ppg
#6: AJ………..10 ppg
#7: Quentin….9 ppg
#8: Pat………..7ppg
#9: TJD………..5 ppg
__________approximately 124 ppg!
With less than two-thirds of a roster intact, this would already be among the most dangerous offenses in the league – if not, THE most dangerous!
#7: *Quinten
Ok but Giannis wants to be on a team capable of winning a championship. Feels like the media is skipping past that part? That team is definitely not Toronto.
Agreed
That’s your opinion reflect not something that is written in stone.
Milwaukee traded all their picks.
They aren’t trading Giannis for futures unless they get control of their picks from New Orleans back
Scottie Barnes is a tier above castle or sengun.
Scottie and some combo of RJ acbaji, Walter’s, 9th pick. And future picks/young players
Only Houston can beat that without gutting their team
New Orleans has the next two MIL 1sts…
MIL: Zion, Trey Murphy, their own 26+27 picks back
NOP: Giannis, Connaughton
Theory: Zion will be either their next star or their next tank commander, the ultimate lottery ticket next to the lottery picks. Go for broke.
Sign and trade Lopez with GA to Toronto… send back Poeltl, Barrett, Dick along with a sign and trade of Boucher.., and 3 firsts…
I wish that would be enough but Milwaukee won’t take that. Other teams will offer way more. If the raps do make a deal they need to find a way to keep Barnes out of it. Maybe RJ, Dick, Poetl, 3 1sts, Jakobe, and 2 swaps might get the convo going. If GA had a no trade and wanted only Toronto, they could’ve offered a bit less.
I’ll add in the swaps but no Jakobe
DaveyJ said:
> Draymond and AJ arent brothers.
Are you sure? I heard they were step-brothers?
Ingram, RJ and #9 to the bucks
Quickley to the nets
Gio and Lillard to the Raptors.
Sign and trade Russel and Melton, #26 & 27 in 2025 a 2027 and a 29 first from nets to bucks.
Lillard shipped to another team.
Seems clear to me a Giannis trade is going to happen. And the best time for that to happen is at the 2025 NBA draft. Bucks will reload their future there. Cause they don’t control or have much in picks till 2031 ……
NBA draft — 2025 , 2nd rd —
Bucks have Detroit #47 pick
NBA draft — 2026 , 1st rd —
Pelicans have the right to swap for Bucks #1 pick
2nd rd — Bucks have Jazz pick #31-55 protected
NBA draft — 2027 , 1st rd —
Pelicans own Bucks pick with stipulations …
NBA draft — 2028 1st rd —
Portland owns Bucks 1st rd pick with stipulations …..
Stipulations — link to fanspo.com
The Spurs and Rockets have the most to offer. With picks in this deep draft. Plus young talent that are ready now. And still have plenty of upside ….
I expect one these teams to land Giannis. It probably comes down to Jalen Green and Dylan Harper …
You’re afraid for raptors to get Giannis…we know!
Yeah terrified ….. like fire breathing dragons.
You have made that obvious hoping the wiz and nets got top 3 picks when they don’t care about winning.
Giannis and wemby don’t mesh. If im San Antonio im going all in on Jokic. There is no way he’s willing to put up with two more years of MPJ’s contract causing nugs to have no depth.
Been feeling that way too for a while. Not sure why so many commenters think Spurs are a fit for Giannis. He would stunt Wemby’s growth, and Fox is a ball hawk/hog – his pairing with Giannis would be dicey, considering what we’ve seen to this point with the Dame/Giannis tandem. Honestly, KD accepting a lesser offensive role moving forward would make more sense in San Antonio than Giannis, though I don’t think that’s a trade Spurs should pursue.
Antetokounmpo for….Scottie,Agbaji, JaKobe, 4 firsts(including the #9 pick)
The amount of so called successful folks so horrified for raptors to be good again is telling.
Goodbye Scottie B
Barnes, Poelt, Grady and 3 future first?
IQ RJ Ingram Giannas and draft either Malauch or Queen
Don’t need Grady with Ochai and Walter but would prefer to keep him cause of his shooting. If you could keep him over the other two that would be better.
RJ and Ingram are iffy shooters and Giannas obviously doesn’t shoot so that would be interesting but they’d be pretty decent defensively and in the East they definitely be a good playoff side.
Bring back KPJ with Grady/Ochai/Walter and Kuzma Scottie and Poelt that’s not a terrible side.
3 future first for the future with a couple young guns to build around
Scottie is a pretty similar skillset to Giannas minus some of his freakish athleticism. But in terms of a downhill forward with passing and defensive ability plus he’s got abit more of a shot to him.
Getting Jakob helps replace Brook in the middle
Could be Scottie, Poetl & Agbaji with the picks. Free agents that make sense are Nickel Alexander-Walker & Bol Bol.
Quickley,Grady,RJ,Ingram,Giannis
Yeah ideally Ochai or Walter. Grady has shown more and if they are getting Scottie they may also want the shooting themselves.
The Bucks would have to either be content with sucking next year and forfeiting a lottery pick, or probably take back less in a dual effort to trading Giannis AND dumping Dame to a 3rd team.
Like…
Nets get #9, 27 FRP Tor, 29 FRP Tor, 31 FRP Bucks (Lottery Protected) Dick, and Dame.
Bucks get BI, Claxton, Cam Johnson, and Abaji.
Raptors get Giannis.
Raptors still have Quickley, Scottie, RJ, and Poeltl. Nets a haul. Bucks get young, moveable pieces that they could flip or keep (except BI prob).