Giannis to the Warriors with Steph makes a lot of sense

Just when you thought the Warriors’ dynasty was coming to an end, the universe opened up a wormhole. 

It’s in the shape of a 6-foot-11, 243-pound man named Giannis Antetokounmpo, who’s up for grabs for the first time in his career since Milwaukee drafted him with the 15th overall pick in 2013.

If you close your eyes, you can almost imagine the league’s modern day dynasty back in the Finals, with Antetokounmpo down low and Steph Curry beyond the 3-point, creating a thrilling math problem for defenders. Collapse on Antetokounmpo? Curry enters the flow state. Double team Curry?  Antetokounmpo goes unconscious. 

If the Warriors could acquire Antetokounmpo at the trade deadline, things could dramatically turn around for a team that won four championships in eight years from 2015-2022, but has since been left for dead after Jimmy Butler suffered a torn right ACL on Jan. 19. 

The Knicks, Heat and Wolves are also serious contenders, but no one has as much draft capital as the Warriors. 

Golden State appears to be at the front of the pack for the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes, with a more attractive package to offer Milwaukee than any other team, including Jimmy Butler, Jonathan Kuminga, four first-round picks (2026, 2028, 2030, 2032) and one first-round swap (2031). 

It would be the perfect new beginning for both franchises. 

Milwaukee has done everything possible to put Antetokounmpo in a position to win another championship after he carried the franchise to its first title in 50 years in 2021, including pulling off a blockbuster trade to acquire Damian Lillard in 2023. But, amid a string of injuries, that plan didn’t pan out. Lillard was waived by the Bucks last July after he suffered a torn Achilles and has since returned to Portland. 

This season has been nightmarish for the Bucks, who are in 12th place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 18-28. Earlier this month, Bucks fans booed the team at halftime when they were down 31 points against a Minnesota squad that was without Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert. Antetokounmpo booed his fans back later in the game, a sad twist of fate for a superstar who went from being the darling of the league to exchanging barbs with his own supporters. 

Even though Antetokounmpo didn’t explicitly request a trade, the writing is on the wall for the organization and its superstar, with the team flailing and Antetokounmpo able to become a free agent the summer of 2027 if he declines his $62.8 million player option. 

Now the question becomes will the Bucks pull the trigger ahead of the February 5 trade deadline or wait until June? 

By waiting, they’d be able to see if other teams could offer appealing draft picks following the lottery. That, of course, would benefit everyone vying for Anteteokounmpo not named the Warriors. 

But, if the Bucks decide to make a move now, this could change everything for Golden State.

The 37-year-old Curry is still at the top of his game, averaging 27.3 points, 3.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists for the Warriors, who are in eighth place in the West with a record of 27-22. 

Before Butler was sidelined, the Warriors had won nine of their last 12 games and were making a major push to claw their way up the standings. Without Butler, they’ve lost three of their last five games as Curry’s chances to win his fifth championship and play meaningful basketball have all but been extinguished, unless Golden State can pull off a miracle by Thursday.

If the Warriors were able to acquire Antetokounmpo, they’d instantly become title contenders. 

Curry, Antetokounmpo and Draymond Green would be an incredibly tough trio to stop and it wouldn’t take much time for them to develop chemistry since they’re all vets with championship experience. So, the fact that Antetokounmpo is sidelined four-to-six weeks with a calf injury and isn’t expected to return until March wouldn’t preclude the Warriors from becoming a real threat this season. 

As for the Bucks, they’d be able to begin focusing on their rebuild with a smattering of first-rounders. 

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While it remains to be seen how the Bucks will play this, this is a potentially thrilling development for a Warriors team that has rescuciated itself in the past.  

After Kevin Durant left in free agency in 2019, Klay Thompson suffered consecutive ACL and achilles injuries and the Warriors missed the playoffs in 2020 and 2021, the dynasty was thought to be done. Then, they won a championship in 2022. 

Earlier this month, scribes began writing the Warriors’ obituary once again. 

It would need to be scrapped if they acquire Antetokounmpo.