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Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks congratulates Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors after the Warriors beat the Bucks at Chase Center on January 07, 2026 in San Francisco, California.
The Golden State Warriors reportedly don’t feature in two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo’s three preferred landing spots, spelling bad news for the franchise’s hopes of pairing the “Greek Freak” with Stephen Curry.
According to TrueHoop’s Henry Abbot, the New York Knicks, the Minnesota Timberwolves and Miami Heat are three teams that Antetokounmpo would prefer a move to, either by the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline or this offseason.
“One person told me that Giannis’ preferred list is three teams: the Heat, the Wolves and the Knicks,” Abbot told the “New York Post Sports” podcast.
“Now, another person told me that it is not his list, but would not tell me what his list is. So take it all with a grain of salt.
“From everything I’ve heard, Giannis would like to play for the Knicks, but I can’t figure out how they could possibly offer the package that the Bucks would like the most.”
Warriors Trade Interest Persists
For what it’s worth, the Warriors still hold a strong interest in Antetokounmpo and would be willing to part with multiple draft assets for the 2021 NBA Finals MVP. According to Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix, the Warriors have made it known to rival teams that they’re “serious” about a Giannis trade if the Bucks are truly willing to pull the trigger before next Thursday.
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The Warriors have made it clear that if Milwaukee is serious about trading Giannis Antetokounmpo, they are prepared to make an offer, per @SIChrisMannix.
ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel also noted Wednesday that the Warriors would be willing to move not just their chest of draft assets, but Jimmy Butler III, who was previously viewed as untouchable in trades, even after his season-ending ACL tear.
“Although [Mike] Dunleavy and the Warriors have pushed back at the notion of trading Butler following his injury, league personnel believe trading for [Andrew] Wiggins could be part of a larger scheme for Golden State to move Butler for either Anthony Davis or Giannis Antetokounmpo,” Siegel reported.
Giannis Trade Saga Nears Conclusion
League insiders believe it’s a matter of when, not if, the Bucks pull the trigger on a Giannis trade. While the more realistic timeline remains this offseason, rival teams are gearing up for a move to go down by the Feb. 5 trade deadline.
“When I talk to teams in the league, they all believe he’s going to get traded by next Thursday,” insider Brian Windhorst told ESPN’s “Get Up” on Wednesday.
“Team after team that I talk to is preparing for it,” he added.
Tom Haberstroh and Andscape’s Marc J. Spears have also predicted that a Giannis trade would go down by next Thursday, not this offseason.
“I don’t think that he’s going to be in Milwaukee in a couple of weeks,” Haberstroh predicted on Tuesday.
While Antetokounmpo has yet to publicly ask for a trade, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Wednesday that the 2020 Defensive Player of the Year is ready to move on from his 13-year stint with the Bucks.
“Two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is ready for a new home at the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline or in the offseason as several rival teams make aggressive offers to the Milwaukee Bucks for him, and the franchise is starting to listen, league sources tell ESPN,” the insider reported via on X.