The Case for Warriors Exploring a Trade for 2x NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo

An NBA analyst believes the Golden State Warriors should make a push for the Milwaukee Bucks superstar

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) and Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) meet after the game at the Chase Center. | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

It's been a busy offseason for the Golden State Warriors. The majority of it was dominated by talk, speculation and negotiations surrounding the contract of Jonathan Kuminga, and now that the 22-year-old forward has been signed to a two-year, $48 million deal, Golden State has been off to the races.

Once Kuminga was officially retained, the Warriors then went on to sign Al Horford, Seth Curry, De'Anthony Melton, and have also re-signed Gary Payton II, though that deal came before Kuminga's.

While Golden State has bolstered their roster to potentially make a deep playoff run this upcoming season, they've also stacked their team with potential trade pieces to use as the season unfolds. The Warriors are no strangers to making a splash when it comes to big-name acquisitions, and they could have another one in their sights coming from Milwaukee.

Jan 25, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) celebrates against the LA Clippers in the second half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Bleacher Report Proposes Giannis to Warriors

Bleacher Report recently published a list of "ambitious" potential trade targets for each team. When it came to the Warriors, their proposal may have been the most ambitious: Milwaukee Bucks' star and two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The inspiration behind this idea comes from Tim Kawakami of the San Francisco Standard, who first eyed the potential for acquiring Antetokounmpo given the Warriors' abundance of assets.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) drives past Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (00) in the second quarter at the Chase Center. | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

"There's another reason why the Warriors don't want to give (Jonathan) Kuminga away for less than his full trade value: Like every other smart team, they're trying to maintain every asset they've got so they're ready once and if the Giannis Antetokounmpo market heats up," Kawakami wrote.

Antetokounmpo would naturally be a hard sell. He has spent his entire career with the Bucks and is still one of the league's best players, averaging 30.4 points and 11.9 rebounds per game last season. Parting with the Bucks would also mean parting with his brother Thanasis.

Playoff Chances for Warriors and Bucks

However, the Bucks have also been faltering in the playoffs in recent years; The Bucks have been first-round exits in the last three seasons and haven't made it as far as the conference finals since they won it all in 2021.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) shoots the ball while Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) defends during game five of the first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

If Antetokounmpo wants to hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy again in his career, he may be encouraged to look for that in another team. The potential haul that Antetokounmpo would warrant in return would also set the Bucks up nicely to make a run themselves, even if they had to let go of their franchise player to do so.

Pairing Antetokounmpo with Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler would echo Golden State's "big threes" of the past, like the infamous paring of Curry, Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant that won back-to-back championships in 2017-18.

Curry and Butler are 37 and 36, respectively, and the clock is ticking for Golden State to win Curry his fifth ring before the legendary shooter's career comes to a close. Pairing him with yet another superstar may just be the push that Golden State is willing to make to get there, no matter the cost.