Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks, AJ Green
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In hopes of keeping Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks have made multiples roster moves to show their commitment to the superstar.
The Philadelphia 76ers are riding a five-game win streak heading into Thursday night’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers out west.
In doing so, they’ve also reportedly kept their distance from the loudest name on the trade market.
Tuesday night’s 113-94 win over the Golden State Warriors pushed Philadelphia to their longest streak of the season. At 29-21, the Sixers sit sixth in the Eastern Conference, close enough to the top tier to feel relevant again, but not quite settled enough to ignore the NBA’s trade deadline looming today at 3 pm EST.
That tension and anticipation is exactly why Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo keeps hovering around the franchise. The idea of Philadelphia entering the sweepstakes for a generational superstar has lingered for weeks. But according to Tony Jones of The Athletic, despite the noise, “all is quiet on that front from Philadelphia’s perspective.”
Where the organization broke its silence, though, was with one of its own talented assets on Wednesday afternoon.
76ers Make Trade Deadline Move — And It’s Not Giannis
Philadelphia finally acted Wednesday, but not in the blockbuster way some fans were bracing for.
Instead, the Sixers sent second-year guard Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for a 2026 first-round pick (originally from Houston) and three second-round picks, while also slipping under the luxury tax.
The return gives the Sixers flexibility, both financially and structurally. It clears space to convert standout two-way players Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker to standard contracts, and it strengthens Philadelphia’s ability to retain Quentin Grimes in unrestricted free agency this summer.
Grimes has quietly become an important piece in Nick Nurse’s rotation — and keeping him mattered.
The move also came with emotional weight. McCain, who turns 21 later this month, was an early Rookie of the Year favorite last season before a torn ACL halted his momentum. Even after returning, he never quite regained his footing in Nurse’s rotation, especially following the emergence of rookie guard VJ Edgecombe. Still, McCain was a player the organization and fan base believed in — for this year and so on.
But now the team has more explaining to do ahead of Thursday’s game. The front office didn’t just flip McCain for financial reasons, they flipped him to buy time and optionality for something bigger ahead of the deadline.
And that’s where Giannis could come back into the picture, because there might not be another player on the trade block who’s capable of restoring what the 76ers just gave away to the reigning NBA champs.
Why the Silence After McCain Deal Matters for Thursday
If the Sixers were actually serious about making a run at Giannis Antetokounmpo, Wednesday would’ve looked a lot different.
Moving McCain likely won’t be a setup for a blockbuster, and it didn’t clear space to absorb a max contract.
It added picks, cleaned up the guard rotation (if you can call it that), and it gave the front office flexibility. That’s not what a team does when it’s gearing up to swing big — it’s what a team does when it wants options.
So while Giannis rumors are still out there, Philadelphia’s side from before Wednesday signals there’s no real push. And after moving McCain — one of the more appealing young assets they had — it’s even harder to see a last-minute Giannis play materializing.
As disappointing as that sounds waking up on a brisk Wednesday morning, the 76ers didn’t break their 2025-26 title chances by losing a key role player.
Tyrese Maxey is playing at an All-NBA — some nights — MVP level. Joel Embiid still changes the game when he’s available. He’s reverted to his monster form in the paint. Edgecombe has earned real trust. And even without Paul George, the Sixers look more connected than they did earlier in the season.
You saw it in Golden State. Second night of a back-to-back, cross-country travel, facing a rested Warriors team — and the Sixers were the more energetic group. That’s not a team desperate to blow things up.
They’re still active. League sources say the franchise is exploring other options before the deadline. But the McCain trade and the continued hush-hush on Giannis point in the same direction.
That said, if Wednesday had to serve as a reminder — anything can happen on NBA Trade Deadline day.