Giannis to the Raptors?
Is Giannis Antetokounmpo heading to the Toronto Raptors this summer?
Raptors fans have long hoped that the reigning MVP would spurn the Milwaukee Bucks and sign with the Raptors next offseason, but the Greek Freak could be on his way to Toronto a year sooner, according to Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix.
"Outlandish prediction: Giannis Antetokounmpo rejects a contract extension from Milwaukee this summer, is traded to Toronto and the Raptors—backstopped by Giannis and Pascal Siakam—win the 2021 NBA championship. Masai Ujiri strikes again," Mannix wrote in his latest column Friday.
Ujiri has long been interested in Antetokounmpo dating back to the 2013 NBA draft when he reportedly tried to trade up with the Oklahoma City Thunder to draft Antetokounmpo.
The Raptors have reportedly been trying to keep cap space available for the 2021-22 offseason when Antetokounmpo could potentially hit the open mark for the first time. The team is only financially obligated to Siakam and Norman Powell that summer. Siakam's contract extension starts next year and is projected to be approximately $31 million in 2021-22, according to Spotrac. Powell has a player option for that season valued at $11.6 million, though he could opt out giving the Raptors more money to work with.
If the Raptors were to bring Antetokounmpo in this offseason, they'd have to navigate Kyle Lowry's $30 million cap hit for next year along with the $10.8 million owed to Powell and the first year of Siakam's max extension.
Prior to the NBA's COVID-19 shutdown, the Bucks had reportedly planned to offer Antetokounmpo a supermax extension on June 30, 2020, expected to be a five-year deal worth $253.8 million, per ESPN's Bobby Marks. That date will likely be pushed back as the NBA is still working to put together a plan for the remainder of the 2019-20 season.
