Giannis Antetokounmpo once again caused a stir in the NBA following a Shams Charania report that said the Milwaukee Bucks started listening to trade offers for their star player.
Five years after their most recent trip to the Finals, the Bucks don’t look like a team that can challenge for the championship. They are, at best, a play-in tournament squad, which has seemingly frustrated Antetokounmpo.
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Shams Charania reported on Wednesday that the player is ready for a new start, either at the trade deadline or during the offseason. Rival teams got to work to try to unlock negotiations with the Bucks. According to ESPN’s Anthony Slater, the Golden State Warriors reached out to the Bucks to express their interest in Antetokounmpo.
“League sources told ESPN that the Warriors have contacted the Bucks in the past week and expressed their firm interest in Antetokounmpo and their willingness to put a substantial offer on the table regardless of his calf strain and undetermined return timetable,” Slater wrote.
The Warriors can send multiple first-rounders to Milwaukee, 2026, 2028, 2032 unprotected, and a 2030 unprotected (only if it falls between the 1-20 range). They also have young players to help unlock negotiations, but the Warriors will likely meet strong competition.
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Miami Heat reportedly lead race for Giannis Antetokounmpo
According to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer, the Miami Heat and the Minnesota Timberwolves are in “direct pursuit” of Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“Two teams have come up frequently in recent days in our conversations with various teams around the league that are either in direct pursuit of Antetokounmpo or closely following the situation. Miami and — surprise — Minnesota. The Heat, of course, are a natural leading suitor in this discussion.”
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As one of the best players in the association, Antetokounmpo often draws a lot of attention from opposing teams, even when the Bucks said they weren’t entertaining offers.
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