Giannis Antetokounmpo, Naz Reid, Timberwolves
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Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks drives to the basket against Naz Reid of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Minnesota Timberwolves gained critical leverage in the race for Giannis Antetokounmpo as the NBA trade deadline entered its final stretch Thursday, with the Golden State Warriors officially moving on from talks with Milwaukee.
Golden State pivoted late Wednesday to a separate blockbuster, acquiring center Kristaps Porzingis and sending out Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield. The move removed one of the league’s deepest asset holders from the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes and narrowed the field of serious bidders.
Golden State’s move effectively left Minnesota and the Miami Heat as the two franchises most actively engaged with the Bucks as the deadline clock winds down.
Shams Charania: Warriors Made Pick-Heavy Offer Before Moving On
ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania confirmed Thursday that Golden State’s pursuit of Antetokounmpo ended only after a sustained effort and multiple rounds of discussions with Milwaukee.
“The Warriors’ pursuit of Giannis after a week is over. They have clearly moved on with these moves,” Charania said on ESPN’s SportsCenter. “My understanding is that the Warriors made a pick-heavy offer last week and continued to have conversations going into this week with the Bucks, but over the last 24 hours, they came to the belief that the Bucks were not going to move their two-time MVP at this trade deadline.
“We’ll see if that holds true over the next 24 hours, but they decided to move forward.”
Charania’s report underscores that Golden State did not bow out casually. Instead, the Warriors pushed deep into negotiations before concluding that Milwaukee was unlikely to pull the trigger before the deadline — a read that directly shaped their decision to pivot elsewhere.
With Golden State now off the board, Minnesota’s relative leverage has improved, removing a rival capable of overwhelming Milwaukee with draft assets.
Timberwolves, Heat Remain Most Engaged With Milwaukee
Despite ongoing skepticism around the Bucks’ willingness to move their franchise cornerstone midseason, Charania reported that Minnesota and Miami have remained the most engaged teams in talks.
“Giannis Antetokounmpo has made it clear to those that need to know within the Bucks organization that he is ready for a new home, whether it’s now or in the offseason, and Milwaukee has remained engaged with interested teams,” Charania reported in an earlier edition of ESPN’s SportsCenter. “I’m told the focus of those conversations have been primarily on Miami and Minnesota.”
Charania cautioned, however, that a deal of this magnitude requires alignment across Milwaukee’s ownership and front office.
“They have to sift through the offers, and they have to land on the same page about whether they’re going to make a trade now or in the offseason,” he said. “It remains to be seen.”
Timberwolves’ Salary Maneuvering Restores Trade Flexibility
Minnesota’s aggressive positioning has been aided by recent financial restructuring.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Timberwolves prioritized Antetokounmpo over other star options that briefly surfaced earlier this week, maintaining a singular focus on the Bucks’ superstar.
Shedding Mike Conley Jr. in a three-team deal earlier this week dropped Minnesota below the first luxury-tax apron, restoring its ability to aggregate contracts and take back more salary than it sends out — a necessary mechanism for a Giannis-level acquisition.
That flexibility has allowed Minnesota to explore broader constructions than it could earlier in the season.
Core Veterans Available as Wolves Push All-In
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Timberwolves
GettyGiannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks defends against Julius Randle of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Even with improved cap mechanics, Minnesota’s central challenge remains satisfying Milwaukee’s demand for both immediate contributors and future draft capital.
Per Stein, the Timberwolves have made multiple core veterans available in discussions, including Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert.
“The issue for the Timberwolves remains creating enough tradeable draft capital to satisfy Milwaukee,” Stein wrote. “Minnesota, though, is undeniably making an all-out push to try to push a deal over the line this week.”
Anthony Edwards Untouchable in Franchise-Defining Pursuit
The scope of Minnesota’s willingness to disrupt its roster underscores how aggressively the franchise is pursuing a transformational move. Anthony Edwards remains the lone untouchable in talks, viewed internally as the foundational partner to Giannis Antetokounmpo for any future post-deadline.
Now, Minnesota’s task is clear: convert its remaining core pieces into the kind of draft capital required to meet Milwaukee’s steep asking price.
Can they make it in time?