Of all the players in the NBA, Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant —who’ll eventually be enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame —has stirred up the most conversation about their future destination. Yet, the noise surrounding Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo —another future Hall of Famer —is like that of an approaching train. With the only franchise he’s ever been employed by going in the wrong direction, there’s a genuine sense that the two-time NBA MVP could be packing his bags, and sooner rather than later.
It’s not so much that Antetokounmpo’s raring to leave. It’s just that he has a very specific idea of how he wants the end of his career to look. More specifically, he visualizes himself competing for at least one more NBA championship.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade Should Be Raptors’ Focus
By all accounts, if Antetokounmpo believes he can accomplish that in Milwaukee, he’ll gladly stay. However, the Bucks don’t seem to be leaving him much choice but to leave, making myriad ill-fated moves. Thus, several teams are now being linked to Antetokounmpo in trade rumors.
The Brooklyn Nets may be an unexpected potential destination. However, their barren roster likely isn’t a wasteland to Antetokounmpo but one of opportunity. With their cap space, they likely could sign or attempt a trade for a tag team partner of his choosing.
The Golden State Warriors don’t seem like a smooth fit for Antetokounmpo due to their offensive philosophy. Nevertheless, they’re the most successful franchise of the millennium. Frankly, the thought of him as Jonathan Kuminga’s replacement is intriguing.
The Miami Heat, Houston Rockets, and San Antonio Spurs have also consistently been mentioned as options. One executive has even gone on record saying a trade sending Antetokounmpo to the Spurs would make them title favorites (per The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie). Meanwhile, the Heat and Rockets might just be one first option away from being title-contenders.
With that in mind, another team that should have a high level of interest in an Antetokounmpo trade is the Toronto Raptors.
Why TOR Needs To Go Greek
Like Miami and Houston, Toronto doesn’t have a true No. 1.
Scottie Barnes —a point-forward and dynamic defender —has been their centerpiece. RJ Barrett —a slashing wing with playmaking ability —has leveled up. They recently traded for Brandon Ingram, who’s a savant in the midrange. Nonetheless, each of those players are —at this point of their careers —better off as second or third options on a championship-contender.
The same can’t be said of Antetokounmpo.
In the 2021 NBA Playoffs, he averaged 30.2 points per game on his way to winning a title. He also won NBA Finals MVP after averaging 35.2 points, 13.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.2 steals per game. Suffice it to say, the man has callouses on his hand; he can handle that.
Whether they have to trade Ingram, Barrett or even Barnes to acquire Antetokounmpo, it’s a must. With that being said, the Bucks could have interest in any of those three. Yet, Barnes’s skillset is so similar to Antetokounmpo’s that they might see him as his rightful successor.
It may be foolhardy to believe Toronto can bottle lightning twice after their Kawhi Leonard rental led to a ring. The NBA is a dream world but not necessarily a fairytale. Just think about this though:
Antetokounmpo will be flanked by at least two players capable of averaging 20-plus points. His supporting cast will have several younger pieces that can play an uptempo style. The Raptors depth also includes a few impressive 3-point shooters.
With the league as wide open as ever, why wouldn’t they have a shot at raising another banner?
© Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
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