A trio of ambitious NBA teams have leveraged many of their future assets to go “all-in” on winning now, write Tim Bontemps and Kevin Pelton of ESPN.
Bontemps and Pelton note that the Nuggets, Bucks and Timberwolves are looking to make the most of what they see as their current title windows.
Denver has given up most of its draft equity to restructure its depth around three-time MVP center Nikola Jokic. Its 2025/26 roster does, on paper, represent an improvement over former president Calvin Booth‘s 2024/25 vintage.
Milwaukee, too, has taken some bold swings to build around two-time MVP forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, but questions abound about just how much this team can win without a second All-Star on the team — as well as $22.5MM in dead money being paid out to ex-Bucks guard Damian Lillard for each of the next five years.
Minnesota sacrificed many of its future draft assets to build its roster around 23-year-old All-NBA guard Anthony Edwards.
There’s more from around the basketball world:
- With buzz building about what could be a loaded 2026 draft class led by AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer, Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report takes stock of the next summer’s cohort. U19 World Cup gold medalist forward Tyran Stokes leads the way among 2027 prospects, followed closely by Eurocamp MVP guard Caleb Holt.
- NBA rookie scale contract extensions, much like restricted free agent deals, have become more difficult to navigate of late. John Hollinger of The Athletic opines that a lack of incentives has thrown a wrench in players and teams reaching a consensus on deals. Contracts heavy on incentives used to be a way to bridge the gap between team and player, but not a single free agent deal or extension this offseason has featured incentives, which teams have avoided because they count toward the tax aprons.
- Former Bucks forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo made his first in-game appearance since May 2024 during an exhibition match for Team Greece ahead of this year’s EuroBasket competition, according to Eurohoops. The 6’7″ forward, now a free agent, tore his Achilles tendon last spring. Across 12:34, Antetokounmpo scored six points while helping the Greek team fend off Belgium, 74-60, in Athens. Little brother Giannis Antetokounmpo sat out, but is traveling with the team and will play when the games start to count.
If your a team, and you dream of trading for Giannis would signing Thanasis as your 15th man be such a terrible idea?
You trade for him after the deal not before.
Hes a FA right now so you dont have to trade for him. You offer him a deal so that if Giannis asks out he will want to come play for you with his brother thats already there.
If the Bucks decide to trade Giannis they won’t care about trading him to his bro’s team.
No, Giannis might though. We would assume that MIL would try and steer him to a preferred destination after all hes done for them.
Maybe. They have a lot of dead money on the cap and their draft capital isn’t good, so they might just take the best offer available. Excited to follow the Bucks this year and see how it plays out.
Lakers should resign Thanasis like before to lure Giannis for 2026 and beyond
They had Kostas not Thanasis before.
My bad. You are correct. He also got his championship ring before Giannis. Nevertheless, the same intent should be acted upon by the Lakers.
The Warriors are what? Curry, Jimmy, Draymond, Buddy, and a youth movement? Does that count as “all in”? I think yes.
The Bucks are going to make one more trade before the deadline opening up a slot to sign Thanasis for the rest of the year. You can quote me on this.