Warriors' stubborn draft stance could finally end their Giannis pursuit

The Warriors do not have a strong offer to make for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Apparently, any hypothetical Golden State package is even weaker than Milwaukee Bucks fans thought. 

It certainly sounds like it based on reporting from ESPN's Marc J. Spears. 

"The Warriors have that 11th pick and people wonder can they get in the Giannis mix. From what I'm being told today, from several people, the Warriors like to keep that pick," Spears said earlier this week on NBA Today.  

Well, that's that. Count Golden State out of the mix altogether.

Warriors signal likely exit from potential Giannis sweepstakes 

Because the Warriors cannot offer a strong package of young players, any Giannis haul would revolve around future draft capital. That's already unappealing for the Bucks. 

Moreover, acquiring a valuable pick in this year's draft is that much more important because the Warriors aren't sending over high-promise prospects. Those future firsts are nice, but they do nothing to help Milwaukee start in on a rebuild now.

Doubling up in the lottery should be of keen interest to the Bucks as a way to inject immediate upside into the roster. At the same time, it also provides a degree of security in case one of those prospects doesn't live up to his potential. Two bites at the apple is better than one. 

What would the Bucks rather have, the No. 11 pick in a loaded draft or Moses Moody/Gui Santos attached to Brandin Podziemski and Jimmy Butler? Not much to discuss there. If the Warriors aren't willing to part with the pick, they might as well move on to target smaller fish in the pond than Antetokounmpo. 

11th pick holds high value for both Bucks and Golden State as well 

Of course, maybe it's only posturing. Maybe Golden State very much has its eyes on a star of the Greek Freak's caliber. Playing keep-away with that 2026 first-rounder is one way to inflate its value. 

That pick is valuable already. The Bucks would love to corner the late-lottery market with back-to-back selections at 10 and 11. Brayden Burries plus Yaxel Lendeborg. Burries plus Cameron Carr. Labaron Philon Jr. and Aday Mara. Any of those combinations beats adding another Warriors role player to the package instead.

Based on Spears' comments, though, the strongest indication is that Golden State really does want to keep the pick. The roster has needed a real rim-protecting big for years - sorry, Draymond - and Mara fits the bill. From a Warriors perspective, why burn the pick in a trade?

Perhaps the front office has come to terms with the close of the Curry era. Perhaps there will be no co-star to ignite one last Finals run. There is honor in moving on.

For both franchises, the Warriors with Curry and the Bucks with Giannis, investing in the future may be the best path forward. Rather than empty the clip in a bid to land the Greek Freak, Golden State has seemingly made its decision already. 

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