Giannis Antetokounmpo, Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks, trade rumors
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Giannis Antetokounmpo appears close to an exit from the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Golden State Warriors could offer a historic trade for him.
Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam publicly addressed the growing speculation surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo, underscoring both the franchise’s reverence for its superstar and the extraordinary complexity behind any potential blockbuster trade as the NBA deadline approaches.
“Giannis is, I don’t know, a top-three, top-four player in the world,” Haslam said, via ESPN Cleveland. “He brought Milwaukee its first championship in 50 years. And he’s a really good person, too. He’s a great leader and tries hard. Giannis and the Bucks — even before we were involved — have always worked closely to see what’s best for Giannis and what’s best for the Bucks, and we’ll continue to do so.”
Haslam and his wife, Dee, purchased Marc Lasry’s 25% stake in the Bucks for $800 million in 2023, joining Wes Edens and Jamie Dinan in an ownership group that shares control — a structure now central to the most consequential decision in franchise history.
Warriors Include Draymond Green in Giannis Trade Frameworks
As Milwaukee weighs its options, the Golden State Warriors have expanded their pursuit by including franchise cornerstone Draymond Green in trade frameworks submitted to the Bucks, ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported Tuesday. That approach gives Milwaukee flexibility to choose between Green — a nine-time All-Defensive selection and core piece of Golden State’s four championship runs — or Jimmy Butler, who is sidelined with a torn ACL and not expected to return until midway through next season, as the primary salary component. Either construction would be paired with Golden State’s most significant advantage: draft capital. The Warriors can attach up to four first-round picks and a future pick swap, including selections projected to fall in the post–Stephen Curry era, widely viewed by rival executives as premium assets.
Why a Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade Is Exceptionally Complicated
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst explained Tuesday that Haslam’s comments reflect just how layered the decision-making process has become.
“You have to make the Bucks happy with the return. The team offering for Giannis has to agree,” Windhorst said on NBA Today. “And because Giannis is a free agent after next season and would need to sign an extension, he has to be somewhat on board. He doesn’t have to sign off on it, but you’re going to get a better offer if he is.”
Ownership alignment, Windhorst added, is not automatic in Milwaukee.
“When they have a big decision to make — like trading Giannis — the three owners vote,” he said. “Most of the time they’ve been aligned, but there have been moments when they haven’t.”
That reality means any deal requires consensus across ownership, the front office, Antetokounmpo himself and the acquiring franchise.
“It’s not a simple process,” Windhorst said. “That’s why getting this done by Thursday would require a heroic effort.”
Bucks Sifting Through Aggressive Offers
According to ESPN insider Shams Charania, the Bucks are actively reviewing offers from several teams, including Golden State, New York Knicks, Miami Heat, and Minnesota Timberwolves.
“Bucks officials, executives and ownership are all huddling against the clock,” Charania reported. “Giannis Antetokounmpo is ready for his exit from Milwaukee, whether that comes at the deadline or in the offseason.”
Charania noted that each proposal reflects a different philosophy: Golden State’s is pick-heavy, Minnesota’s is player-centric, and Miami’s blends both players and draft assets. The Knicks remain involved but face steeper logistical hurdles.
The central question is whether any offer reaches the internal threshold required to move a generational talent still under contract.
Bucks’ Season Context Shapes Giannis Timeline
Milwaukee’s on-court reality has further complicated the calculus. The Bucks have fallen 11 games under .500 and slid toward lottery positioning while Antetokounmpo remains sidelined with a calf strain.
“There’s a tension here,” Charania said. “Giannis wants to play basketball and compete for a championship in the second half of the season. But the Bucks are now weighing long-term positioning.”
That leaves Milwaukee balancing the risk of acting now versus waiting until the summer, when Antetokounmpo would enter the final year of his contract as an expiring asset.
What Haslam’s Comments Mean for Warriors’ Giannis Push
For Golden State, Haslam’s remarks neither close the door nor accelerate talks. Instead, they reinforce the magnitude of the decision ahead — one that will move only when ownership, timing, assets and player alignment converge.
The Warriors remain among the most structurally prepared suitors. But as Haslam’s words made clear, this is not just a transaction.
It is a franchise-defining moment — and one that will unfold only when every piece is ready to fall into place.