Giannis Antetokounmpo will have plenty of teams trying to trade for him this summer, but one NBA team has already dropped out of the race.
The Giannis Antetokounmpo trade saga has officially started as the Milwaukee Bucks forward begins his search for a new team.
Both San Antonio and New York are expected to be aggressive in their pursuit of Giannis, hoping to strengthen their chances of winning a title.
Other teams could get involved too. If Pat Riley decides to move some key pieces, Miami could put together an interesting offer for Giannis.
The Lakers might also consider making a push if Rob Pelinka sees it as a good fit. But one team that had shown interest earlier this summer is no longer in the running.
Brooklyn Nets step back from Giannis Antetokounmpo trade talks
Jake Fischer has reported that the Brooklyn Nets have decided not to pursue Giannis Antetokounmpo, even as interest from other teams grows.
The Nets appear to be shifting their focus away from chasing big names, instead choosing to develop their young talent and take advantage of their pick in what’s expected to be a strong 2026 draft class.
“League sources plugged into Brooklyn’s thinking have said frequently in recent years that the Nets once believed they would have a real shot at winning the Giannis Sweepstakes if such a trade sweepstakes ever actually commenced…
“The Nets, by contrast, are no longer being described in the same terms. My best read on Brooklyn at the moment is that it has mostly abandoned its ambitions for jumping straight back into the star market in the wake of the Kevin Durant/James Harden/Kyrie Irving Era.”
This is particularly notable given that just two summers ago, the Nets saw Mikal Bridges as a player who could attract another top-tier talent to Barclays Center before he was sent to Knicks.
Since then, Brooklyn has shifted its attention toward upcoming drafts. They’re aiming for a high pick this year after already adding five first-round selections last June.
The Bucks may have made some changes this summer, but there are still serious questions about whether they can put together a team capable of making a deep playoff run around him.
Giannis Antetokounmpo New York Knicks trade rumours could pick up steam again
With Brooklyn no longer in the mix, attention has turned across the river to Manhattan, where Giannis Antetokounmpo’s name has been linked to the New York Knicks.
Reports from earlier this summer suggested Giannis believed a deal with the Knicks was on the verge of being completed, but things didn’t come together.
“Antetokounmpo’s affinity for playing in New York has been mentioned often… ‘an exclusive negotiating window’ that the Knicks were reportedly afforded in August to make trade pitches to Milwaukee for Antetokounmpo,” Fischer wrote.
Even though that deal fell through, he remains one of their top targets. It wouldn’t be surprising if they went after him again closer to the trade deadline.
If he does make his way there, you can expect to hear plenty of boos when he returns to Fiserv Forum.
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