As the trade deadline approaches, all of the attention will be on the ongoing availability of superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. Whether he is traded by the Thursday deadline or this offseason, however, the Oklahoma City Thunder are almost certainly out of the running.
They have established a potent young core and an undeniable chemistry that would make an earth-shaking move almost foolish at this point. There are a number of teams, though, that covet Antetokounmpo in a direct bid to dethrone the Thunder.
So far, four main in-season suitors have emerged for Antetokounmpo's services: the Golden State Warriors, the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Miami Heat, and the New York Knicks. The Portland Trail Blazers also stand an outside shot at landing The Greek Freak.
Yet as more information starts to emerge, it seems increasingly likely that Antetokounmpo will be headed to the West. That could prove to be disastrous for Oklahoma City.
Giannis Antetokounmpo could throw everything off in the West for the Thunder
Although he's already eclipsed 30, Antetokounmpo is still relatively at the top of his game. Through 30 games this season, he's averaging 28 points, 10 rebounds, and 5.6 assists while knocking down 64.5% of his field goal attempts.
If he ends up in the right situation, he could immediately vault a team into serious championship contention.
While the Knicks are in on Antetokounmpo, they do not necessarily have the draft capital to fulfill Milwaukee's lofty demands. The Heat's package, meanwhile, would be centered around young talent, and it's unclear whether that would be enough to convince the Bucks to part with their franchise legend.
The favorites to land Antetokounmpo from a perspective of potential return, therefore, reside in the Western Conference. If either the Warriors or the Timberwolves were able to land him, either at the deadline or this offseason, they would present a major threat to Oklahoma City.
Moreover, as NBA Insider Jake Fischer reported, the Los Angeles Lakers would also be in play if the saga rolls over into the offseason.
As it stands, the Thunder have a dominant hold on the West. But they must contend with juggernauts like the Denver Nuggets and up-and-coming teams like the San Antonio Spurs. Throwing another team into that mix, one that can genuinely challenge Oklahoma City in the playoffs, could prove to be too much to overcome.
The Thunder most hope Antetokounmpo stays in the East. Unfortunately, it seems like things are not headed in that direction.