Giannis Antetokounmpo, Warriors
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Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks reacts after making a basket against the Golden State Warriors.
The Golden State Warriors are widely viewed by league insiders as holding the strongest trade package should Giannis Antetokounmpo force a move before the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline — a position that could weaken dramatically if talks drag into the offseason.
That tension has become the defining storyline of this year’s trade cycle, with rival teams receiving mixed signals about whether the Milwaukee Bucks are prepared to act now or prefer to wait.
Conflicting Signals Surround Bucks’ Timeline
According to NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer, teams involved in Antetokounmpo discussions are split on Milwaukee’s intentions.
“Some (stress: some) teams out there believe that the Bucks are trying to gauge various aspects of Antetokounmpo’s marketplace before giving true consideration to trading him in the summer,” Stein and Fischer reported Saturday in The Stein Line. “Or to buy themselves even more time to see what happens in May’s draft lottery first.”
The report added that there is growing belief around the league that Milwaukee could prioritize draft positioning down the stretch, hoping its eventual pick — even as the lesser of its own selection and New Orleans’ — still yields meaningful value.
Yet Stein and Fischer emphasized that perspective is far from universal.
“Various teams involved in the Antetokounmpo chase believe that, from his camp’s side, there is a preference to push a trade through before the deadline,” they wrote, “even in the absence of a clearly stated public demand.”
That divergence matters especially for Golden State.
Why Golden State Holds the Cleanest Deadline Path
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Steph Curry, Golden State Warriors, Giannis trade rumors, Curry injury return
GettyThe Golden State Warriors are determined to pair Stephen Curry with Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Among all known suitors, the Warriors are uniquely positioned to execute a two-team deal without requiring complex salary routing or third-team facilitators.
Golden State can offer up to four first-round picks, including three selections that fall in the post-Stephen Curry era — a timeline widely regarded by rival executives as premium draft capital.
Just as importantly, the Warriors possess multiple workable salary structures. They can construct a deal around Jimmy Butler alone, or build larger frameworks involving Draymond Green and younger rotation players, depending on Milwaukee’s appetite for cap relief versus long-term assets.
That flexibility has pushed Golden State to the forefront of league conversations.
Windhorst: Warriors Set the Bar
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst recently identified Golden State as the early standard others would need to beat.
“The Golden State Warriors are a team that immediately rises to the top of the list,” Windhorst said on NBA Today. “They can make a team-vs-team trade. They hold all of their future draft assets. They can trade up to four picks and more swaps.”
Windhorst added that Golden State’s ability to pair draft capital with star-level salaries gives them a structural advantage.
“This is where the discussion begins,” he said. “Everyone else will try to beat a strong Golden State offer.”
Bucks’ Asking Price Remains Sky-High
Milwaukee, however, has shown no urgency to compromise.
“Multiple teams have received a sense that the Bucks are more open than ever to Antetokounmpo offers between now and the deadline,” ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Wednesday. “However, Milwaukee has indicated it is not in a rush and is willing to navigate Antetokounmpo’s future in the offseason if its price point isn’t met.”
That price, according to Charania, citing league sources, remains centered on a blue-chip young player and a significant haul of draft picks — a threshold Golden State believes it can meet.
Warriors Have Already Made Their Move
The Warriors’ interest has been serious from the onset.
According to ESPN’s Anthony Slater, Golden State contacted Milwaukee before reports emerged that the Bucks were formally listening to offers.
“League sources told ESPN that the Warriors have contacted the Bucks in the past week and expressed their firm interest in Antetokounmpo,” Slater reported Thursday, “and their willingness to put a substantial offer on the table regardless of his calf strain and undetermined return timetable.”
Deadline Pressure vs. Summer Leverage
The coming days will determine whether Antetokounmpo’s situation resolves swiftly or drags into the offseason, when more teams will unlock additional draft capital and complicate Golden State’s current advantage.
For now, the Warriors sit in pole position — but only if the clock works in their favor.