The Minnesota Timberwolves [are in on the](https://dunkingwithwolves.com/wild-giannis-report-gives-timberwolves-a-big-leg-up-in-trade-saga) Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes. The two-time MVP is ready for a new home.
At first glance, this makes total sense for Minnesota. The team has made the Western Conference Finals in back-to-back years, and Antetokounmpo has the talent to get them over the hump. However, trading for stars has proven risky in recent years. So, what are the potential downfalls of trading for the former NBA Finals MVP?
Trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo comes with risks
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Trading for Antetokounmpo would mean pairing one of the best players in the NBA with Anthony Edwards. Together, the two would form the best duo in the NBA. In a conference as stacked as the Western Conference, taking this gamble could be worth it.
However, [a deal with Milwaukee](https://dunkingwithwolves.com/the-timberwolves-crucial-advantage-giannis-trade-talks) would likely mean parting with tons of solid rotation players. There is a good chance that both Julius Randle and Jaden McDaniels would need to be included to make a deal work. Randle is having one of the best seasons of his career, evidenced by his 22.2 points per game mark. McDaniels, meanwhile, is the heart and soul of the team's perimeter defense. He has improved on the offensive end this year, too.
Considering the Timberwolves don't have much in the way of draft capital to trade, it is possible the Bucks would require even more talent in a trade. Recent first-rounders such as Rob Dillingham, Joan Beringer, and Terrence Shannon Jr. would be on the chopping block, and Milwaukee may even require Jaylen Clark to be thrown in a deal.
An Antetokounmpo trade would certainly deplete Minnesota's depth, and history proves that a lot of teams can't overcome this. The Brooklyn Nets depleted their depth to add Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving, and the results were unpleasant. The same can be said for the Phoenix Suns when they traded for Durant and Bradley Beal to pair with Devin Booker.
There is also the question of how Antetokounmpo would fit with the Timberwolves. He is a downhill player who thrives inside, yet Rudy Gobert can often clog the paint. Plus, Antetokounmpo needs a lot of touches, as does Edwards, yet the team has very little point guard depth and playmaking on the roster.
The good news is that trading for Antetokounmpo wouldn't mean sacrificing a lot of draft capital, as is the case in most superstar trades. The Timberwolves just don't have much to give up. A small market team like Minnesota that is in the midst of more success than ever before in franchise history has to take the chance. Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to a championship, so he could certainly get the Timberwolves there with the help of Edwards, even if the team's depth is depleted because of a trade.