The NBA rumor mill is swirling with chatter ahead of next week’s trade deadline and much of the speculation surrounds Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Milwaukee Bucks are reportedly entertaining offers for the two-time MVP and weekend scuttlebutt suggests the Portland Trail Blazers might want to get involved in the trade talks.
According to a report from The Stein Line, the Blazers have expressed interest in acquiring Antetokounmpo, even though they “realistically understand that it would be an extreme long shot” to sign him to a contract extension to remain in Portland.
Antetokounmpo is under contract through the 2026-27 season and holds a player option for 2027-28, so it would be a significant risk for a team to trade for him without assurances he would sign an extension.
The “far more likely scenario,” according to the report, is that the Blazers could join a multi-team deal to facilitate an Antetokounmpo trade to another team, which would allow Portland to acquire another player to complement its rebuilding effort.
The Blazers would be a natural partner in any potential deal because they control the Bucks’ first-round draft picks from 2028-30. The Blazers have the right to swap first-round picks with Milwaukee in 2028 and 2030, and also hold the rights to the most favorable first-round pick among themselves, the Bucks and the Celtics in 2029.
The NBA trade deadline ends Thursday at noon.