Momentum Appears to Be Building in Timberwolves' Pursuit of Giannis

The Timberwolves trading veteran point guard Mike Conley on Tuesday appears to set the stage for a big move from president of basketball operations Tim Connelly before Thursday afternoon's deadline. The Wolves didn't get anything back in a three-team deal with the Bulls and Pistons, which was primarily about freeing up financial flexibility by getting under the first apron.

Connelly clearly has something else cooking. And the biggest possible move he could make — one that has been at the forefront of rumors around the league lately — would be a blockbuster trade for Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. It won't be easy to pull off, but momentum seems to be building in the Wolves' pursuit of the two-time MVP who has earned seven consecutive first-team All-NBA selections.

"We know who the Minnesota Timberwolves are pursuing this week: Giannis Antetokounmpo," ESPN's Shams Charania said in discussing the Conley trade. "This deal gives the Minnesota Timberwolves even more tax savings, a little bit more flexibility, an open roster spot for the pursuit of what we know."

Bulls and Pistons have desires met here in a young and veteran guards to Chicago and a sharpshooter goes to Detroit. Minnesota creates significant tax savings and roster space as they pursue a Milwaukee star this week. https://t.co/u9FiTn4wTD
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 3, 2026

The four teams that have been connected the most to Antetokounmpo in rumors and reports are the Wolves, the Heat, the Warriors, and the Knicks. There's a belief that Miami and Minnesota may be the two preferred landing spots for Giannis, who apparently has significant interest in teaming up with Anthony Edwards.

"The focus has been on the Miamis and the Minnesotas because those are believed to be teams that Giannis would like to end up with," insider Marc Stein said on the ALL NBA Podcast. "Golden State has been described as one of those teams since 2020, for a half decade, but there has been some question lately: Is Giannis still as enamored with the idea of ending up with the Warriors as he once was, 4 or 5 years ago? And there is some active skepticism about that, that he wouldn't necessarily see the Warriors as a landing spot."

The Warriors have the best treasure chest of draft pick assets among the four main teams that seem to be in the mix for Antetokounmpo. But Giannis will presumably have some level of input in where he ends up. He's under contract for one more year after this one and then has a $63 million player option in 2027-28. Whatever team trades for him, whether now or this offseason, will want to be confident that they can sign him to a contract extension.

Giannis Antetokounmpo | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

The Wolves don't have the draft assets to pull off a deal for Antetokounmpo directly with the Bucks. What they do have are valuable player assets, headlined by Jaden McDaniels. If they get a deal done, it'll almost certainly be a complex three- or four-team trade. The Wolves would have to part with McDaniels, at least one of their three main big men (Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle, Naz Reid), and additional assets.

It's a fascinating situation that will continue to dominate the NBA and Timberwolves news cycles until a Giannis deal happens or Thursday's deadline comes and goes. By trading away Conley on Tuesday, the Wolves have put themselves in a more advantageous position to make an impact addition in the next 48 hours — whether it's Antetokounmpo landing in Minnesota or someone else.

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