Per Zach Lowe, several contending teams are maintaining their trade pieces in preparation of the official Antetokounmpo sweepstakes.
As the Feb. 5 trade deadline looms, the entire NBA is patiently waiting for what will be the new major development in Giannis Antetokounmpo's situation with the Milwaukee Bucks.
As such, NBA expert and insider Zach Lowe reports that several teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks are keeping their assets on hold in preparation for a potential groundbreaking announcement that the Greek star is finally on the trade block.
"The Hawks, the Warriors, the Lakers, the Heat, maybe the Knicks that are sort of thinking to themselves do we need to keep all of our stuff and wait for Giannis to may be become available, whether it's now or in the summer," Lowe said.
"The whole league is watching if the [Bucks] slide any further down the standings. ... Does Giannis push the button now instead of waiting until the summer? The biggest story in the NBA, potentially."
The Bucks are currently out of the Eastern Conference's contention picture. They are at the 11th spot with a 17-24 record.
Aiming to win more in his career, Antetokounmpo is seeking a greater chance to compete to follow his 2021 NBA championship. The Bucks, on their end, are desperate to convince him to stay despite their season struggles. In the last three postseasons, both sides failed to win even a single playoff series.
Right now, teams can only continue monitoring Antetokounmpo and the Bucks. The potential acquisition of the superstar can significantly change the balance of power in the entire league.
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