And-Ones: All-In Teams, 2027 Draft, Extensions, Thanasis

Several NBA teams have leveraged a lot 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 ditched most of its future 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 please two-time MVP forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, but questions abound about just how much this team can win without a second All-Star. Minnesota has ditched a lot of 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 on the new list, followed closely by Eurocamp MVP guard Caleb Holt.
• Rookie scale contract extensions, much like restricted free agent contracts, have become more difficult to navigate of late. John Hollinger of The Athletic opines that a lack of incentives have thrown a wrench in players and teams reaching a consensus on deals.
• Free agent former Bucks forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo made his first in-game appearance since May 2024 during an exhibition class with Team Greece ahead of this year’s EuroBasket competition, according to Eurohoops. The 6’7″ forward 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.