The Denver Nuggets have enough to worry about in the West without Giannis Antetokounmpo making the switch this summer. It's felt like a foregone conclusion that the Bucks would trade him this summer, but in a recent interview with the School of Hard Knocks, he said he hopes to stay in Milwaukee for "many more" years.
If he truly means that, and the Nuggets hope he does, he can relay to the Bucks that he wants to sign an extension when he becomes eligible on Oct. 1. Milwaukee co-owner Jimmy Haslam previously said that the team wants a Giannis resolution before the draft, which is only a few weeks away.
NBA insider Marc Stein reported for The Stein Line on Monday that Portland and Miami are two teams actively engaging in trade talks for Antetokounmpo (subscription required). Given Giannis' known desire to win a second title, you might be wondering why he'd want to go to a team in the West. The thing is, the Trail Blazers own the Blazers' draft picks from 2028-2030, and the Bucks could prioritize getting those back.
So, there is certainly a possibility that he could serve as another roadblock for Denver to get past in its quest for another title with Nikola Jokić.
Nuggets need Giannis to stay with the Bucks (or at least in the East)
Antetokounmpo will have some pull in where he goes, as a team that lands him will want a commitment from him since he has a player option he could decline next offseason to hit unrestricted free agency.
Portland doesn't stand out as a place Giannis should want to go, but you never know, he could be open to the idea. He's comfortable with being the big name in a small market, so there might be an allure for him to help the Blazers win it all. You never know.
It's just not Portland that could get Antetokounmpo, either. Golden State aggressively pursued him before the deadline. The Lakers could try to bring him in as Luka Dončić's co-star, but they don't have the picks or players to make it happen, unless they give up Austin Reaves.
And then there's the Rockets, who could put together the kind of package the Bucks would want, but do they care to do that? You can't rule it out after their season ended in the first round of the playoffs after trading for Kevin Durant last summer.
Those aren't the only teams that could win the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes, if that actually turns out to be a thing. The Nuggets hope that it won't, as they have enough to worry about as is with the Spurs, Thunder, and Timberwolves. Heck, even the Lakers.
Hopefully, Giannis truly meant it when he said he wanted to remain in Milwaukee, and that it wasn't his way of trying not to look like the bad guy if a trade does happen. Not that he would, anyway, but that's another conversation for another day.
Add us as a preferred source on Google