Giannis Antetokounmpo, Warriors, Giannis Warriors, Warriors trade, NBA trade deadline
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Jimmy Butler III #10 of the Golden State Warriors is guarded by Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks of the Milwaukee Bucks at Chase Center on January 07, 2026 in San Francisco, California.
The Golden State Warriors have reportedly leapfrogged the New York Knicks, Miami Heat and Minnesota Timberwolves as the “frontrunners” to pull off a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade by the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline.
NBC Sports’ Kurt Helin reports that the Warriors, capable of trading up to four first-round picks and multiple pick swaps in a potential deal, have a clear edge over the other three main suitors and are currently in pole position in the Giannis sweepstakes.
“League sources NBC Sports has spoken with lean toward Golden State because it can offer up to four first-round draft picks (ones that could be very valuable after Curry retires, Antetokounmpo fades, and the Warriors struggle). Anthony Slater at ESPN reports the same thing,” Helin reported on Thursday.
One source told NBC Sports that “the quicker Milwaukee acts, league executives believe, the better chance Golden State has to win the bidding war.”
Potential Warriors Trade Package
Further to Helin’s reporting, three of the Warriors’ four first-round picks will convey after Stephen Curry turns 40, by which time Golden State could be a lottery-bound team. As such, those assets could be invaluable to the Milwaukee Bucks.
That said, ESPN’s Shams Charania has reported that the Bucks are seeking a “blue-chip young talent” in a potential Giannis trade, something the Warriors can’t offer. As talented as Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski are, neither is viewed as a future franchise cornerstone or even an All-Star-type player. Ultimately, a Giannis trade to Golden State could come down to how Bucks view Kuminga and Podz.
The Athletic’s Eric Nehm on Thursday revealed what a potential Warriors trade package for Antetokounmpo could look like, suggesting that Golden State could be forced to take back Kyle Kuzma’s contract.
Bucks would receive: Jimmy Butler, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, and Brandon Podziemski; Golden State’s 2028 first-round pick; Golden State’s 2030 first-round pick (if 1 through 20); Golden State’s 2032 first-round pick; rights to swap Golden State’s 2031 pick
Warriors would receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kyle Kuzma
Giannis Trade Likely by Thursday?
There have been conflicting reports on whether a Giannis trade would go down by the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline or over the offseason. Some insiders have ntoed that the Bucks have informed teams they are in no hurry to move their longtime franchie star, who remains sidelined indefinitely with a calf strain, and could wait until after the NBA Draft Lottery, when they’d have a clearer idea of the incoming draft picks.
Another theory is that Antetokounmpo’s camp is pushing for a trade by Thursday, as he’d be eligible for a four-year, $275M extension with his new team in October, which would give him a stronger financial incentive. If the Bucks were to delay a Giannis trade until the offseason, the two-time MVP may not be eligible for an extension until early 2027. He has the option of becoming a free agent in the 207 offseason.
“If this passes and we get to the offseason he can’t be extension eligble until likely January,” ESPN’s Bobby Marks highlighted on Thursday. “So there is some type of urgency to get a deal done within the next week here.”
Another factor working in Golden State’s favor in a potential Giannis trade is that teams such as the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets — who could potentially offer a lot more for the star forward — are not expected to make aggressive offers.