Giannis Antetokounmpo caused a stir in NBA circles this week, signaling that he wants championship-level commitment from the Milwaukee Bucks before even thinking about a new contract. This is a game-changer, especially coming from a superstar of his caliber.
Antetokounmpo is still aiming for another championship with the Bucks and has two years remaining on his current contract. But since this revelation, fans and media have already been looking at trade destinations where the two-time MVP might land next.
Any team landing Antetokounmpo will instantly be in the title hunt. If he becomes available, an anonymous NBA executive suggests not to overlook the less-obvious teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder, the San Antonio Spurs and the Toronto Raptors.
Per Heavy Sports:
“No one would be in better position to go after him than OKC,” the NBA executive said. “Not to say they would, but they’d have to be a starting point. They have the young talent, they have, I think it is nine (first-round) picks in the next three years. If Milwaukee decides, OK, we’ve got to move on here, that is the first team you call. There aren’t many guys who are going to make the Thunder think about a big move, packaging the assets. But Giannis is one, if he’d want to go there.”
The executive is convinced that the OKC Thunder stand as the frontrunners to acquire Antetokounmpo. However, he also asserts that the Spurs and the Raptors are not out of the picture.
“I think you can’t rule out those kinds of teams,” the executive said. “Giannis has always carried himself like he is all about winning, like that is what matters most to him. He is a little different. I mean, that is the reputation, anyway. If that is really the case, then wouldn’t he want to go play for (Gregg Popovich), play alongside Wemby there? If Toronto can give up only one of its guys and brought back Giannis? They would really have something there.”
