Milwaukee Bucks fans are well aware that Giannis Antetokounmpo may not spend the rest of his career in Wisconsin. After the Pacers eliminated the Bucks in the playoffs, ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported that Giannis was "open-minded" about leaving Milwaukee. That caused a slew of trade speculation, but for now, it seems like the superstar is staying put.
Does that mean teams are no longer on high alert when it comes to Giannis? No. The Warriors are one of many teams on that list. Golden State's offseason is at a standstill because of restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga. Charania reported on Thursday that the Warriors haven't liked the sign-and-trade offers they've received from a few teams.
What does that have to do with the Bucks?
Well, on Friday, Tim Kawakami of The San Francisco Standard wrote that Golden State doesn't "want to give Kuminga away for less than his full trade value" because the team wants to keep its trade assets in case Giannis hits the market.
Warriors are wary to let Jonathan Kuminga go because of Giannis
If Giannis requested a trade and said that he specifically wanted to go to the Bay Area, there is no guarantee that would happen. Milwaukee's front office would want to receive the best possible offer in return, something Golden State couldn't do.
The Warriors could re-sign Kuminga to a short-term deal, giving them a tradable salary in the $20 million range that they currently lack. They could argue that he's the kind of promising young player Milwaukee should want in a Giannis trade, but he isn't. At 22, Kuminga has upside, but Golden State has been reluctant to give him the time and space to unlock his potential.
It would be hilarious if the Warriors pushed to trade for Giannis with a package centered around Kuminga, a player their organization doesn't believe in. Just when Golden State fans think Kuminga might be on Steve Kerr's good side, he's pulled from the starting lineup and benched.
There are plenty of other teams that could outbid the Warriors, rather than offer an unproven player like Kuminga. If he stays in San Francisco, chances are he won't have a breakout season that would increase his value, because he won't be the featured player. Again, he's in and out of Kerr's rotation like it's a revolving door. That most likely won't change.
Nice try, Warriors!