The Milwaukee Bucks may not trade Giannis Antetokounmpo soon, but if he's traded before the Feb. 5 deadline, it feels like it will definitely be to the Warriors. Other top interested teams, like the Heat and Knicks, can offer additional first-round picks over the offseason, while Golden State can offer up to four first-round picks now in a deal.
You can label the Warriors as the most desperate suitor, as they want to see Steph Curry win another title before he retires, whenever that will be. They thought that trading for Jimmy Butler would get them there, but he tore his ACL last week. Even then, Golden State wasn't a top team in the West, but not because of Butler.
Like many other teams, Golden State has been waiting for Giannis to ask out, and now that Milwaukee is listening to offers, it's the Warriors' time to strike. Although he'll be out for the next few weeks with a calf strain, that isn't keeping them from doing what it takes to meet the Bucks' high asking price. The sooner Giannis can play alongside Curry, the better.
Warriors will be the team to trade for Steph Curry before the deadline
Milwaukee's asking price for Giannis is reportedly young players and draft assets. The Warriors can give the Bucks more of the latter, but they do have young talent like Brandin Podziemski, who is averaging 12.2 points per game in his third season. There is also Jonathan Kuminga, who is currently out with a bone bruise and hyperextended knee. He was out of the rotation until Butler's injury, but he did well in the singular full game he played in before getting hurt, so there's that.
The reality is that the Warriors can present the Bucks with the kind of offer that they're seeking now, headlined by their first-round picks.
Milwaukee could decide to wait until the offseason to trade Giannis, and Golden State would still be in the mix. However, superstar will have more leverage then, as he could decline his player option in 2027 to become an unrestricted free agent. As mentioned, teams will have more to offer in a few months, though.
How the next several days play out leading up to Thursday's deadline will be interesting, to say the least. Perhaps by the time the smoke clears at 2 p.m. CT, Giannis will be packing his bags to leave for San Francisco.