Could the Nets Pursue a Trade For Giannis Antetokounmpo?

Giannis Antetokounmpo's name is hot in trade rumors. According to ESPN's Shams Charania, both Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks are having conversations regarding the two-time MVP's future with the only team he's suited up for.

Antetokounmpo reportedly wanted to end up on the New York Knicks over the offseason, but now he is apparently open to the idea of playing for other teams.

The Brooklyn Nets have been considered a possible landing spot for the 2021 Finals MVP, given the treasure trove of assets they have to offer Milwaukee.

However, the Nets would likely have to part with a significant amount of those assets to bring The Greek Freak to Brooklyn, which could give the team little room to add talent and maximize its chances of winning a championship even with Antetokounmpo on the team.

The thought of bringing Antetokounmpo to the borough is an enticing one. He's a global superstar who raises a team's ceiling with his name on a roster alone and has proven he can take over during the most pivotal moments of highly contested games.

However, Antetokounmpo is one the wrong side of 30, and his game relies on a ton of power, speed, and athleticism since he was never able to develop into a knockdown shooter from deep.

Antetokounmpo has also dealt with various injuries over the past few seasons, so whichever team he ends up on has to have a contingency plan in place to give him the necessary rest and win games with him out of the lineup.

At the very least, though, it'd be worth it for the Nets to at least check in and engage with Milwaukee on a potential trade package. The Nets' future draft capital is enough to get the Bucks' attention, and their young pieces, such as Noah Clowney, Egor Demin, Danny Wolf, and Drake Powell, could also garner some interest.

Even if the Nets don't end up with Antetokounmpo, their negotiations could drive up Antetokounmpo's trade value and force the Knicks or other teams around the league to give up more assets than they may have felt comfortable with.

The Nets' public negotiations with the Denver Nuggets effectively forced New York to part with more assets for Carmelo Anthony in 2011, which limited the Knicks' ability to build a longterm championship contender with Anthony in the fold.

All things considered, Antetokounmpo will probably not be headed to Brooklyn, but a few trade rumors between the Nets and Bucks could surface here and there.