Clippers Have a Better Shot in Giannis Antetokounmpo Sweepstakes Than You Think

The Los Angeles Clippers can make a very competitive offer to the Milwaukee Bucks to acquire their superstar on the trade block.

Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

It looks like the Giannis Antetokounmpo saga is finally about to come to a close before next season. The Milwaukee Bucks are reportedly listening to trade offers between now and the NBA Draft, per ESPN's Shams Charania. Even though they are rarely thought of as a potential Giannis suitor, the Los Angeles Clippers could certainly make a very competitive offer for the Greek superstar.

Thanks to the No. 5 pick they received in the NBA Draft Lottery, the Clippers now have enough assets to pursue Antetokounmpo. On the day of the draft, the Clippers can trade four first-round picks, including the fifth-overall pick this season. They can trade a 2029 first-rounder (either their own or Indiana's), their own 2031 first-rounder, and a 2033 first-rounder. They can also include multiple pick swaps.

Clippers Shouldn't Be Ruled Out as a Giannis Antetokounmpo Suitor

In terms of draft capital, that is as good a haul that the Bucks can realistically expect. Assuming that the Clippers will want to keep Darius Garland and Kawhi Leonard in this deal, they don't have that many salaries to trade. They can certainly include their intriguing young players like Yanic Konan Niederhauser and Kobe Sanders, but they will need to attach significant salary to them.

One way to do that would be through sign-and-trades involving Bennedict Mathurin and John Collins. With new contract extensions for both free agents, the Clippers can come close to Antetokounmpo's $58.4 million salary that they would need to match in the trade. Derrick Jones Jr., Kris Dunn, and Isaiah Jackson could also be used in the trade to match salaries.

One advantage for the Clippers is their financial flexibility. They will have some cap space if they move on from the likes of Brook Lopez and Bogdan Bogdanovic. So, they could take back more in salary than they give out. This could be appealing for the Bucks as they try to shed some salary for next season.

The only problem with this plan is that the Clippers will have to wait until at least the draft to get this deal done. They can't trade four first-round picks until draft day. More likely, they would need to wait until the start of free agency so that they can do sign-and-trades involving Mathurin and Collins.

The Clippers may not have to make the best offer to land Antetokounmpo, either. If the Greek Freak wants to join forces with Garland and Leonard, he could certainly force his way to LA. The Bucks will presumably make sure that Antetokounmpo goes somewhere he is happy with rather than maximizing their return in a trade. The Clippers offer the ideal middle ground for both the Bucks and Giannis. They can make a great offer full of draft capital while also having the ability to contend with Antetokounmpo.

Golden State, Miami, Boston, Portland, New York, Houston, and Minnesota are among the teams that have emerged as potential landing spots for Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Clippers don't have that young star that they can send to Milwaukee as some of these teams do, but they have enough draft assets to make it interesting. If there is interest on Antetokounmpo's side, Giannis-to-Clippers rumors could unexpectedly heat up over the next month.