Trade Rumors: Giannis, Morant, Alvarado, Knicks, Raptors
While Thursday is usually the busiest day of the NBA’s trade deadline week, Tuesday and Wednesday have been more active than usual this season, observes Fred Katz of The Athletic.
There are a number of reasons why that may be the case, but one front office executive who spoke to Katz believes teams are reacting to what happened at last year’s deadline, when physical exams affected two trade agreements. The Sixers and Mavericks slightly reworked the terms of their Caleb Martin/Quentin Grimes deal due to concerns about Martin’s physical, while the Lakers and Hornets rescinded their Mark Williams trade as a result of Williams’ physical.
The Philadelphia/Dallas deal was agreed to and finalized on the Tuesday before the deadline, which allowed the two teams to conduct physical and then amend the terms on Thursday. However, because Los Angeles and Charlotte finalized their deal on Thursday, the issues with Williams’ physical didn’t arise until after the deadline, when negotiations couldn’t be reopened. At that point, the Lakers had just two options: approve the deal anyway or nix it altogether.
Several teams making deals at this year’s deadline may have those situations in the backs of their mind, Katz explains, prompting them to get their business done a little earlier in the week.
Here are more trade rumors from around the NBA, with the deadline just over five hours away:
- The Timberwolves and Heat don’t believe they’re out of the running for Giannis Antetokounmpo, but like Golden State, they remain skeptical that the Bucks are ready to get a deal done today, reports Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link). Fischer, who previously identified Milwaukee as a team to watch on the Ja Morant front, also continues to hear that the Bucks remain engaged with the Grizzlies about the star point guard.
- Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado remains on the Knicks‘ radar, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link). While New York reportedly didn’t have much luck selling New Orleans on a deal that included Guerschon Yabusele, the team may have more success with Dalen Terry‘s expiring contract after agreeing to send Yabusele to Chicago. The Knicks have also expressed interest in Yves Missi, but the Pelicans have reportedly insisted on a first-round pick for him to this point. New York’s only tradable first-rounder is Washington’s top-eight protected 2026 pick, which will likely turn into second-rounders.
- It’s been a busy week for the Bulls, who have finalized three trades and agreed to two more, but they may not be done dealing yet. According to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times, the Bulls’ front office was still talking to teams as of Wednesday night, with a “focus” on the Pelicans and Rockets. Chicago has been linked to Zion Williamson and Missi from New Orleans and Tari Eason from Houston, Cowley notes. However, he says the Bulls haven’t made real progress on the Pelicans’ players, and reports have indicated the Rockets are very resistant to moving Eason.
- After agreeing to two minor deals on Wednesday to duck the luxury tax and add Trayce Jackson-Davis, the Raptors are unlikely to make a major move ahead of Thursday’s deadline, Michael Grange of Sportsnet (Twitter video link) and TSN’s Josh Lewenberg (Twitter video link) said during TV appearances. Toronto has been linked to several notable big men, but some (Anthony Davis and Jaren Jackson Jr.) have been traded to other teams, while Domantas Sabonis appears likely to remain in Sacramento.
Knicks Notes: Yabusele, Brunson, Shamet, McBride
The Knicks are hoping to trade Guerschon Yabusele for a more productive bench player, but teams are reluctant to take on his contract, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. Sources tell Siegel that New York recently reached out to the Spurs and Pelicans, but wasn’t able to make any progress toward a deal. The main sticking point is Yabusele’s $5.7MM player option for next season, which he’s almost certain to exercise after a disappointing campaign where he’s fallen out of the Knicks’ rotation.
Sport5 in Israel reported that Hapoel Tel Aviv is involved in negotiations with Yabusele in case he leaves the NBA, relays Alessandro Maggi of Sportando. Yabusele is considered a “high-profile target” with several European teams monitoring him, Maggi adds. However, he can only head overseas if he’s bought out and waived, which may be tricky due to the player option.
Yabusele addressed that rumor after Tuesday’s game, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (Twitter link).
“I ain’t closing no door on nothing. I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Yabusele said. “I don’t know what tomorrow’s going to be. So right now I can tell you nothing has been discussed or signed or anything like that. I’m a Knicks player at the end of the day. There’s nothing with that. But there’s been teams calling, so yeah, I feel like the report was just them saying they want me and then everybody thought that I signed something already. No, nothing like that. But there’s some teams out there that we heard are getting ready to sign me if I go back that way. We’ll see what happens.”
There’s more from New York:
- Jalen Brunson claims his actions after a 17-point loss to Dallas on January 19 were mischaracterized as a players’ meeting, Bondy writes in a full story. Brunson explains that he simply made some comments to his teammates before coach Mike Brown entered the locker room. “It was just me voicing my opinion after the game against Dallas,” Brunson said. “It wasn’t me calling a team meeting. We meet after games. I said something before coach walked in. That’s it.”
- Landry Shamet is rewarding Brown’s faith in him, Bondy states in a separate story. Brown was a strong supporter of Shamet, who was among three players brought into training camp on non-guaranteed contracts to compete for a roster spot. And when Shamet suffered a shoulder injury in November, Brown told reporters that he would be willing to give up his salary to keep him on the team. Brown talked about using Shamet in a larger role when he interviewed for the head coaching job, states James L. Edwards of The Athletic (Twitter link).
- The Knicks have conducted tests on Miles McBride, who’s missing his fifth straight game tonight due to left ankle issues, Bondy adds in another piece. McBride suffered a high ankle sprain in early December that sidelined him for eight games. He returned for 15 games before being held out recently due to left ankle injury management.
- Bondy examines the most and least likely players to be moved by the deadline, with Yabusele topping his list, followed by Pacome Dadiet and Ariel Hukporti.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Sweepstakes A ‘Three-Team Race’?
The Timberwolves and Heat both appear far more motivated than the Knicks to make a trade for Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo before Thursday’s deadline, Brian Windhorst said today during appearances on ESPN’s Get Up (YouTube link) and First Take (Twitter video link).
Unlike the Warriors, who have up to four tradable first-round picks, Miami can only offer two first-round picks in its package, while Minnesota and New York are unable to trade any of their own first-rounders due to the Stepien rule.
Milwaukee is said to be seeking a combination of blue-chip talent and future draft picks for its two-time MVP, so in order to make the kind of offer the Bucks are seeking, some of those teams would likely need to turn one or more of their veteran players into draft assets. The Knicks don’t appear to be doing that, Windhorst explains.
“I don’t think the Knicks have what’s required on their roster to acquire Giannis,” Windhorst said on Get Up. “So if they wanted to (acquire him), they would be out there trying to trade their current players for draft picks and young pieces that the Bucks would want, and they’re not. So I’m taking the Knicks off the list until I have further information.
“I am seeing that action from teams like the Miami Heat and Minnesota Timberwolves. They are out there trying to find ways to improve their offer. The best standing offer that I’m aware of belongs to the Golden State Warriors, but I’m not seeing a lot of momentum towards Milwaukee making a Giannis move. It is only Wednesday. We have another day-and-a-half. But I think Milwaukee is seriously considering staying put and pushing this off until summer.”
Windhorst reiterated that point during his appearance on First Take, referring to the Giannis sweepstakes as a “three-team race” involving the Timberwolves, Heat, and Warriors, unless a mystery suitor emerges.
I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of a mystery team surfacing, given how many surprises we’ve already had ahead of this week’s trade deadline. However, as Windhorst said again on First Take, the most likely outcome might be Antetokounmpo remaining in Milwaukee.
“The choice is down to Bucks ownership,” Windhorst said. “Because I know that Giannis is ready to move. Giannis is ready to move, these other teams are ready to move, there’s ancillary pieces that teams are ready to move. Is Bucks ownership – in the next 24 hours – going to say, ‘OK let’s move on from him now’? If that answer ends up being yes, you see this (trade happen).”
Windhorst added during a subsequent appearance on ESPN 710 Los Angeles (Twitter video link) that he’s not feeling “deal heat” (ie. momentum toward a trade) on the Giannis front at this time.
Here are more of the latest rumblings related to Antetokounmpo:
- While the Bucks would covet forward Jaden McDaniels in a Giannis deal with the Timberwolves, they’d also want first-round picks that Minnesota can’t currently offer, which is why the Wolves are canvassing the league in search of them, writes Chris Mannix of SI.com. One source tells Mannix that practically everyone on the roster besides Anthony Edwards is believed to be up for discussion, with as many as four teams potentially needed for a trade that would get Antetokounmpo to Minnesota.
- As the Timberwolves and Heat survey the market in an effort to maximize the value of their packages, the Warriors’ offer – which is believed to include Draymond Green, Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, and first-round picks – remains on the table and has yet to be formally declined, writes Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.
- However, the sense is that Green would need to be rerouted if Milwaukee made a deal with Golden State, with Windhorst suggesting on First Take (YouTube link) that the Lakers are one team that would share mutual interest with the longtime Warrior. “If he were traded, his plan would not be to remain in Milwaukee,” Windhorst said of Green. “He would want to be moved on. A team that would be possible if he were traded – and I can’t emphasize the number of ‘ifs’ I’ve said enough before I say this – but the Los Angeles Lakers would be a team he would have interest in and they would have interest in him. But that would require the Bucks to take action on Giannis.” Even if Green isn’t on the move today or tomorrow, Windhorst wonders if including him in these talks might be the first step toward the veteran forward and the Warriors eventually parting ways.
- According to Siegel, many rival front office executives believe the Bucks are gathering as much information as they can from Antetokounmpo suitors right now and then will take that intel into the summer, reopening Giannis trade talks at that time. Mannix also suggests that while a club like the Wolves may be pushing to get a deal done now, there are other teams around the NBA encouraging the Bucks to wait until the offseason, when they’ll be able to enter the bidding or improve their current offer. “Minnesota badly wants to get it done now,” a rival executive told Mannix. “They don’t want to get into a bidding war before the draft.”
Domantas Sabonis Likely To Remain With Kings Through Deadline
1:42 pm: The Kings view their Sabonis talks with Toronto as having “flat-lined,” according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. With the caveat that there’s still 24 hours for the situation to evolve, Amick says it now appears highly likely that the big man will remain in Sacramento through the trade deadline.
10:53 am: Talks between the Raptors and Kings have paused for now, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter video link), who says Toronto has concerns about how much draft capital it would have to give up to move off of Poeltl’s contract.
10:02 am: The Raptors are known to have interest in Kings center Domantas Sabonis, but it’s been hard to get a feel for just how serious the talks between the two teams are, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca, who gets the sense that some of the Sabonis trade chatter has been driven by the three-time All-Star’s representatives, who would like to get their client off a rebuilding roster.
While Grange was still hearing from people close to the Kings on Tuesday that Sacramento would be open to making a trade centered around Sabonis and Raptors forward RJ Barrett, he writes that the connection between Barrett and Kings general manager Scott Perry – who drafted the forward as a member of the Knicks’ front office – has been “overblown.”
There also appear to be at least two obstacles in the way of a trade sending Sabonis to Toronto.
One, Chris Haynes said during an NBA TV appearance (Twitter video link), is a gap between the draft compensation the Kings are seeking as part of the return (a first-round pick) and what the Raptors are willing to offer in their package (second-rounders).
The other complication is that the Raptors would likely want to send out center Jakob Poeltl if they’re going to acquire a starting center who has an even more lucrative long-term contract, but Poeltl’s value is extremely limited due to the $100MM+ left on his deal, as well as his health — he has been dealing with back issues all season long.
The Kings reportedly have zero interest in acquiring Poeltl in a Sabonis deal, so the Raptors would have to find a third team willing to take him on and send that team sweeteners (likely draft assets) separate from what Sacramento would want for Sabonis.
“He’s a really hard guy to trade right now,” one source told Grange. “He’s hurt and he’s locked in for five years.”
According to Grange, the Celtics have been fans of Poeltl in the past, and the Pacers – who are searching for a long-term answer at center – are another team he has heard connected to Poeltl.
However, Boston just made a move for another center, agreeing to send Anfernee Simons to Chicago in a deal for Nikola Vucevic, and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) hears that Indiana hasn’t registered any interest in Poeltl.
The Grizzlies, with their newfound cap flexibility as a result of Tuesday’s Jaren Jackson Jr. trade, are considered one possible landing spot for Poeltl, but they’d likely need to be well compensated to take on his contract, especially given his current health situation.
“There’s nothing structural,” a source said of Poeltl’s back injury, per Grange. “There’s no nerve issue, it’s just a confusing injury.”
Sam Amick of The Athletic suggested earlier this week that it wouldn’t be a surprise if nothing happens with Sabonis this week and the Raptors and Kings renew their conversations in the offseason. Grange also thinks the Sabonis rumors “could all add up to nothing,” writing that Toronto may be better off hoping Poeltl gets healthy and can rebuild his value, either as a trade chip or the Raptors’ center of the future.
LeBron James Reportedly Won’t Be Dealt
Plenty of big names have already been moved prior to Thursday’s trade deadline. LeBron James won’t join the list. James is expected to finish out the season with the Lakers, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reports.
James, 41, has a no-trade clause and would have to approve any deal.
Last month, ESPN’s Baxter Holmes detailed the strained relationship between James and Lakers governor Jeanie Buss, which included a revelation that Buss wanted to trade the record-breaking All-Star at one point earlier in his Lakers tenure. However, that apparently won’t lead to an in-season breakup between James and the organization.
James’ plans beyond this season remain unknown. His contract expires after the season and he hasn’t indicated whether he intends to remain in L.A., join a new team, or retire.
As McMenamin notes, the Cavaliers, Knicks and Warriors are all considered possible destinations for James if he decides to play another year. Each of those teams has been pursuing big deals before the deadline, with Cleveland reportedly reaching an agreement on Tuesday to acquire James Harden.
James is still putting up solid numbers — 21.8 points, 6.6 assists and 5.8 rebounds in 33.1 minutes per game.
Kawhi Leonard Named To All-Star Game
Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard has been named by NBA commissioner Adam Silver as an addition to the U.S. player pool for the All-Star Game, the league announced (via Twitter).
The Feb. 15 All-Star Game will feature two teams of U.S. players and one team of international players, with each team consisting of at least eight players. After the selection of the initial 24 All-Stars, Leonard was added to bring the total number of U.S. All-Stars to 16, the minimum required under the format.
A 14-year NBA veteran, Leonard has earned his seventh All-Star selection. He was the All-Star Game MVP in 2020 and had been considered one of the biggest snubs after the All-Star reserves were revealed on Sunday.
Leonard is averaging a career-high 27.6 points (seventh in the NBA), 6.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists and a league-leading 2.1 steals in 36 games. He is shooting 49.7% from the field, 39.1% from 3-point range and 91.3% from the free throw line (fourth in the NBA).
Leonard has scored at least 20 points in each of his last 28 games, including a career-high 55-point performance against the Pistons on Dec. 28.
It’s now expected Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns – who has represented the Dominican Republic in international play – will play for the World team, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets.
Wembanyama, Thompson Named Defensive Players Of The Month
Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama has been named the Western Conference’s Defensive Player of the Month for January, the NBA announced today (via Twitter).
After missing a pair of games to open the month, Wembanyama suited up for San Antonio’s next 13 contests and averaged 8.2 defensive rebounds and 2.2 blocks per night — both of those figures ranked second in the Western Conference for January, per the league. While the Spurs posted a modest 7-6 record during those 13 games, their defensive rating during that stretch was 107.5, which ranked first among Western Conference teams.
The strong month has firmly placed Wembanyama back in the conversation for Defensive Player of the Year, though he can’t afford to miss many more games if he wants to remain award-eligible. He has appeared in 35 of the Spurs’ first 49 games and must play in 30 of the last 33 to qualify for DPOY and other end-of-season honors.
Wembanyama was selected for the Defensive Player of the Month award over fellow Western Conference nominees Kris Dunn and Kawhi Leonard of the Clippers, Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert, Suns guard Jordan Goodwin, Thunder big man Chet Holmgren, and Rockets guard Amen Thompson (Twitter link).
Amen’s brother Ausar Thompson of the Pistons has been recognized as the Eastern Conference Defensive Player of the Month for January, according to the league.
While he’s not a rim protector like Wembanyama, the Pistons wing wreaked havoc on the defensive end of the court last month by averaging a league-leading 2.4 steals per game, along with 4.2 deflections per game across 14 starts. Detroit went 10-4 in January and ranked first in the NBA with a 104.8 defensive rating.
The other Eastern Conference nominees for Defensive Player of the Month were Knicks forward OG Anunoby, Hawks guard Dyson Daniels, Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley, Warriors center Alex Sarr, and Thompson’s teammate Isaiah Stewart, who won the award in December.
This is only the second season that the Defensive Player of the Month award has existed, but Wembanyama is a two-time winner, having also earned recognition for his defense in November 2024. It’s the first time Thompson claimed the honor.
Luka Doncic, Jaylen Brown Named Players Of The Month
Lakers guard Luka Doncic has been named the NBA’s Player of the Month for the Western Conference, while Celtics wing Jaylen Brown has won the award in the East, the league announced today (Twitter link).
The Lakers were 9-6 in games Doncic played in January, and the All-Star guard increased his league-leading scoring average by racking up 34.0 points per game in those 15 outings. He posted a shooting line of .506/.392/.747 for the month while also contributing 9.1 assists, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per night.
Doncic had four 30-point triple-doubles in January, capped by a 37-point, 13-assist, 11-rebound outing in Washington to wrap up the month last Friday. It’s the sixth Player of the Month award of his career and his first since he became a Laker almost exactly one year ago.
Brown’s career year continued in January as he led the Celtics to a 9-5 record in the 14 games he played, averaging 29.2 PPG, 7.9 RPG, and 4.6 APG. The 29-year-old matched a career high by scoring 50 points in a win over the Clippers on January 3, then had a 27-point triple-double in a double-overtime victory in Brooklyn on Jan. 23.
While his teammate Jayson Tatum has racked up five Player of the Month awards over the course of his career, this is the first time Brown has earned the honor.
Brown beat out fellow nominees Bam Adebayo and Norman Powell of the Heat, Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, Pistons guard Cade Cunningham, Sixers center Joel Embiid, Hornets forward Brandon Miller, Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, and Pacers forward Pascal Siakam for the January award, per the NBA (Twitter link).
The other Western Conference nominees were Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija, Rockets forward Kevin Durant, Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, and Nuggets guard Jamal Murray.
Rival Teams Skeptical Bucks Will Trade Giannis This Week
A two-time Most Valuable Player could be on the move this week, with the Bucks listening to offers on Giannis Antetokounmpo and several clubs believed to be in pursuit of the superstar forward. However, teams around the NBA aren’t convinced that Milwaukee will actually pull the trigger on a deal involving Antetokounmpo within the next 50 hours or so.
According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, as of Monday evening, the offers on the table for Antetokounmpo were said to be “underwhelming” enough that most agents and rival executives he spoke to believe the saga will carry over into the offseason.
Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link) also cites a “healthy skepticism” across the league that the Bucks will move their longtime this week, while ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps share a similar sentiment.
“Everyone is preparing for this to happen in the summer,” one Western Conference executive told ESPN.
As Windhorst and Bontemps explain, a team like the Warriors – who can offer virtually all of their future first-round picks and swaps at this time – could put a similar pick-heavy offer on the table in the offseason. Meanwhile, some suitors who have a shortage of tradable first-rounders due to the Stepien and seven-year rules will have more flexibility to offer picks at this year’s draft when restrictions lift on certain selections, meaning they could improve their offers at that point.
The Bucks would also have clarity following the draft lottery about where their own first-round pick – and every other 2026 selection – will actually land. That would give them a better sense of the value of any 2026 first-rounders included in offers for Giannis, as well as an idea of what sort of potential cornerstone they could land with their own selection.
Additionally, Bontemps notes, there may be teams who expect to make a deep playoff run this spring and instead get bounced from the postseason early, prompting them to either enter the Giannis sweepstakes or to get more aggressive in terms of what they’re willing to offer for him.
Still, plenty of teams with interest in Antetokounmpo appear motivated to try to get a deal done now. The Warriors, Heat, Timberwolves, and Knicks have been the suitors cited most frequently, but they aren’t necessarily the only clubs in the mix. Windhorst said today during an ESPN Cleveland appearance (Twitter video link) that the Cavaliers are among the teams to call Milwaukee about Antetokounmpo too, and that they’ve also inquired on Mavericks big man Anthony Davis.
The Cavs aren’t permitted to aggregate two or more player salaries as long as they’re operating over the second tax apron, and both Giannis and AD have higher cap hits ($54MM+) than anyone on Cleveland’s roster, so the team would need to shed significant salary in order to realistically make a play for either star. The Cavs are currently operating about $14MM over the second apron.
While the Cavs may not end up making a blockbuster deal, it certainly sounds as if they’re more open than ever to discussing players who had previously been viewed as off limits, such as Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen, according to Windhorst (Twitter video link), who suggested that concerns about the current group’s championship upside and Donovan Mitchell‘s willingness to sign an extension in the offseason are likely driving Cleveland’s approach to the deadline.
The Bucks are believed to be prioritizing impact players in their Giannis trade discussions, says Amick, which could improve the Cavs’ chances for Antetokounmpo if they can figure out a way to make the money work. At this point, Cleveland only has one first-round pick to offer (either 2031 or 2032).
The Cavs don’t necessarily have to get below the second apron to make a significant shake-up though. They’re reportedly in talks with the Clippers about a possible deal involving Garland and James Harden, with NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link) reporting within the past hour that the two teams have ramped up those conversations as they try to reach an agreement before Thursday’s deadline.
Giannis Trade Rumors: Warriors, Wolves, Blazers, Sixers, Nets
Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reported on Monday morning that the Warriors have been the most aggressive team in pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo, with ESPN’s Shams Charania later reporting that Golden State had made a “pick-heavy offer.”
Writing for The Stein Line (Substack link), Jake Fischer says the Warriors were cautiously optimistic over the weekend about their odds of acquiring the superstar forward if the Bucks decide to trade him prior to Thursday’s deadline.
However, there may be a significant holdup in a deal coming to fruition. League sources tell Fischer there have been “recent rumblings,” which the Warriors are aware of, that Giannis may not be enthusiastic about landing in Golden State.
Fischer acknowledges that only Antetokounmpo may know how credible those rumors are, but he’s heard from sources close to the situation that the 31-year-old “could be turned off” by the prospect of playing on an older team and/or being criticized for teaming up with Stephen Curry, just as Kevin Durant was and continues to be years later.
Although one source with knowledge of Antetokounmpo’s thinking told Fischer that he “wants to win,” Fischer has heard separately that also Giannis cares about his career arc.
As Fischer explains, part of the reason the Knicks appeal to the perennial All-NBA member is the fact that they haven’t won a championship since 1973; that same line of thinking is part of the reason why Giannis is intrigued by the possibility of joining Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves, who have never won a title, Fischer writes.
Here are several more Giannis-related trade rumors and notes:
- Fischer continues to hear the Warriors’ offer for Antetokounmpo is unlikely to include Jimmy Butler, whom Golden State wants to retain despite his torn ACL. If the deal is instead built around around Jonathan Kuminga and Draymond Green, rival teams don’t expect the Bucks to actually keep Green. That said, Fischer hears the 35-year-old forward/center’s trade value is “murky” for a variety of reasons, including the fact that he has a $27.7MM player option for ’26/27. People around the situation noted that the Suns would have been a good fit in the offseason, but that was before they acquired Dillon Brooks. Phoenix is still on the lookout for frontcourt upgrades, sources tell Fischer.
- Like many teams around the NBA, the Timberwolves have spent “weeks” preparing for the possibility of Giannis becoming available, multiple team sources tell Jon Krawcyznski of The Athletic. The Wolves are considered one of the strongest suitors for the five-time All-Defensive member for multiple reasons, Krawczynski explains: the Wolves are viewed as a contender, having made the Western Conference finals each of the past two years; Giannis and Edwards have mutual respect; and president of basketball operations Tim Connelly has pulled off multiple blockbuster trades since he was hired by Minnesota in 2022.
- Still, some rival teams remain skeptical the Bucks will actually trade Antetokounmpo by the deadline, Krawcyznski writes, since they could get more appealing offers in the summer.
- Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report (Substack link) weighs the pros and cons of the Trail Blazers getting involved in a potential Antetokounmpo trade, whether it’s dealing for him themselves or acting as a facilitator. Portland certainly has assets Milwaukee wants, since the Blazers control the Bucks’ first-round picks from 2028-2030 (two swaps and one pick). According to Highkin, the Blazers are willing to act as a third team — if they get a player they really like. But Highkin doesn’t think Mikal Bridges (Knicks) or Jalen McDaniels (Timberwolves) would fit that bill. As Highkin writes, the Blazers were interested in Bridges, but that was a few years ago when he was obviously younger and on a more team-friendly contract, not the four-year, $150MM extension that will begin next season.
- The Trail Blazers could put together a very compelling package for Antetokounmpo, but it could be riskier than it would be for other teams since they aren’t close to being a contender at the moment and there have been no indications to this point that Giannis wants to end up in Portland, Highkin notes. It could end up being a one-year rental scenario, since Antetokounmpo has a player option for ’27/28, which may not appeal to Portland.
- On Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports’ podcast, Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports said the Sixers will definitely inquire about Antetokounmpo prior to Thursday at 2:00 pm CT (Twitter video link). “If you think that Giannis is on the trade block and there is not gonna be a call between the Sixers and the Bucks at some point between now and the deadline on Thursday, I don’t think you’ve been paying attention,” Neubeck said. “I think that they are interested. Any time a player like Giannis is on the market … (president of basketball operations) Daryl Morey is a guy who wants stars. He cares about stars.” Neubeck previously reported that VJ Edgecombe was unavailable in trade talks, and reiterated to O’Connor that he would be “stunned” if the standout rookie is moved.
- As of Monday afternoon, the Nets had not called the Bucks about Antetokounmpo, a source tells Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscriber link). ClutchPoints reported earlier on Monday that the Nets had inquired about Giannis, but Brett Siegel tweeted it was a mistake that was quickly corrected. Brooklyn has long been linked to Giannis and there has been speculation the team will make an offer for him.
- Zach Kram and Kevin Pelton of ESPN propose fake six Giannis trades, which are evaluated by Bobby Marks.