There are rumours (once again) that Giannis is open to a trade. And of course, if a top 3 player in the NBA is available, there’s going to be a lot of teams interested. In this blog, we’re going to look at the top 5 realistic trade destinations for the Greek Freak.

Note: You will not find the San Antonio Spurs or the Houston Rockets on this list, as they weren’t reported to be interested in Giannis.

Honorable Mentions

Lakers:

As much as I would love to see Giannis and Luka pair up in purple and gold, I don’t see the Lakers as a top team to land Giannis. They would have to give up whatever draft capital they have left, as well as potentially Austin Reeves and other role players. Their bench would be very thin. They also wouldn’t have much room to upgrade the roster, being above the second apron with no draft picks.

Brooklyn Nets:

The Brooklyn Nets definitely have the trade ammo to pull off this trade. The only problem is that if they traded for Giannis, they still wouldn’t be good enough to compete for a championship, thus having to mortgage more of their future.

5. Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers haven’t gotten off to the start they were looking for, sure, you can blame injuries. However, recent years haven’t been kind to the Cavs in the playoffs, not having gotten past the second round. Even last year, when they were the one seed, they couldn’t even reach the conference finals. You also have to ask, can Donovan Mitchell be the best player on a championship team? We haven’t seen proof of this thus far, but we for sure know that Giannis can.

4. Philadelphia 76ers

The only reason the Sixers are on this list is because of standout rookie VJ Edgecombe. VJ has been an electric rookie to start off his NBA career and could be the most talented young player the Bucks could get back in return for Giannis. This will also give Philly the opportunity to get off of Paul George’s horrible contract. One player, however, the Philadelphia 76ers will not be giving up on, is Tyrese Maxey. Maxey has been absolutely amazing this year, averaging 32 a night. If the Sixers somehow do give him up for Giannis, it would most likely be an overpay.

3. Golden State Warriors

Steph Curry is now 37 years old and doesn’t have many prime years left. The Warriors can’t afford to let one of those seasons go to waste. If they have Steph on the roster, they need to be in win-now mode. Good news for the Warriors, they have some decent young players who they could deal. Jonathan Kuminga hasn’t been happy with his role on the Warriors for many years now. This could be the perfect opportunity to trade him to a team who let him have more responsibility on offense. They also have other talented young guys they could throw in a trade like Moses Moody and Brandin Podzemski. If they’re able to bring Giannis to the Bay, their dynasty could be rejuvenated and reopen the championship window for at least a couple of years giving Steph the opportunity to win a 5th ring.

2. Miami Heat

How can I not put Miami on this list. Giannis is interested in playing in Miami. And if you know anything about their president Pat Riley, you know he’s not afraid to taThe Miami Heat have the best possible player, hands down, that the Bucks could get in return for Giannis. That being Tyler Herro, if the Heat are willing to put Herro in a trade, that would instantly make them the favourites to land Antetokounmpo. Miami’s front court would be the scariest front court the NBA has seen in a while. Bam Adebayo and Giannis Antetokounmpo have both been in DPOY talks in recent years, locking down the paint. Plus, the spacing shouldn’t be too big of an issue, especially because Bam has been shooting more from deep, making nearly 2 shots from three per contest.

1. New York Knicks

I know, big surprise, the Knicks are number one. There’s no reason why the Knicks shouldn’t pursue Giannis and be willing to put some of their best trade pieces on the table. For starters, Giannis actually wants to play in New York, meaning he’ll most likely re-sign there once he hits free agency. Not to mention that the East is wide-open right now. If there was ever any time an East team should be trying to make an all-in trade, it’s now. The Knicks are already the 2nd seed in the East. If they were able to acquire Giannis, that would easily make them the favourites to represent the East in the finals. However, with all this being said, the Knicks would probably have to trade Karl-Anthony Towns. That could be an issue if they then decide to start Mitchell Robinson at centre. It would definitely limit the spacing, not unleashing all of Giannis’ superpowers. If the Knicks acquired Giannis, he might need to play the 5, that way they can keep the floor spaced with shooters, allowing him to be his best.