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Giannis Antetokounmpo is reportedly ready for a new home. But where? With the Bucks reportedly willing to listen to offers, our writers weigh in on the best landing spot for the 10-time All-Star and what the future holds in Milwaukee.
What’s the best landing spot for Giannis?
Ben Rohrbach: The New York Knicks. They are his preferred destination, or they were in August, when the Knicks and Milwaukee Bucks engaged in a weekslong “exclusive negotiating window” on a deal for Antetokounmpo, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. A happy Giannis is the best Giannis. Besides, how much fun would it be to watch him try to win New York its first NBA championship in more than 50 years, just as he did for Milwaukee? I’m not saying he would have enough around him left to do it, but Giannis in Madison Square Garden — sign me up.
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Kelly Iko: Detroit Pistons. I get the appeal of New York and the obsession from Miami, but if we’re talking about Giannis’ smoothest path back to the Finals, why not join forces with Cade Cunningham and the best team in the East? Cunningham needs a legitimate running mate to stop teams from simply putting two on the ball. He’s already established a lethal two-man attack with Jalen Duren — this would raise their ceiling by eons. I’d imagine there’s a small percentage of folks that had Detroit at 34-11 at this point in the season. Now is the time to be aggressive.
Tom Haberstroh: San Antonio Spurs. Tim Duncan and David Robinson walked so Wemby and Giannis could run. The Spurs would be terrifying if they were to get Giannis. No one would ever venture into the paint. To maximize drama and lean into the globalization of the game, we need some of these European superstars on the same team. Imagine them vs. OKC in the playoffs!
Morten Stig Jensen: San Antonio Spurs. While a path toward the Finals would likely be easier in Detroit due to the somewhat lacking quality of the Eastern Conference, the Spurs find themselves on another tier, one in which Antetokounmpo could pick and choose his spots more carefully, while likely prolong his career due to the partnership of Victor Wembanyama. Defensively, the Spurs would be nightmare fuel for any opponent, and the fact that both European big men can explode for 35-40 points on any given night only adds to the intrigue.
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Who’s the most attractive trade partner for the Bucks?
Haberstroh: The Atlanta Hawks. They can give the Bucks their 2026 pick rights back and add young talent in Jalen Johnson, who, by the way, instantly becomes a hometown hero. The Wisco native becomes Milwaukee’s version of SGA in OKC. The question is whether Atlanta takes that big of a swing. But if I’m Jon Horst, the “A” is on Line 1.
Jensen: Atlanta Hawks, assuming they are willing to relinquish Johnson and the oh-so-sweet 2026 selection, courtesy of the New Orleans Pelicans. The Spurs also remain in this hunt, given their offerings of selections, as well as multiple young players, and expiring contracts. Generally speaking, any team that holds attractive young players, and the control of several draft picks, should be able to make competitive bids for Antetokounmpo.
Iko: The Texas teams. The good ones, I mean. Take your pick of Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper, or two of Alperen Şengün, Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard — plus some decent future draft capital. I certainly understand why neither of these teams feels the need to gut their rosters for Giannis, but typically the organizations wary of blowing up their roster are the ones that make the most sense for Milwaukee. The Bucks would still be able to reset their timeline all while remaining flexible for the immediate future.
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Rohrbach: Atlanta Hawks. No other team can offer what the Hawks could — a 24-year-old All-Star (Jalen Johnson) and/or an elite pick in this coming June’s draft (Atlanta owns the better pick between Milwaukee and the lottery-bound Pelicans). Package them together, and you might as well put pen to paper on a deal right now. There is some question, though, as to whether the Hawks would offer either asset. As of now, it does not appear they are willing to enter the Giannis sweepstakes. If they did, though, the Hawks could best any other team’s offer.
True or false: Giannis has played his last game in Milwaukee
Iko: True. I’m not one who believes the Bucks will get better offers in the summer — when Giannis essentially becomes an expiring contract — so if that’s the case, a deal would need to be made in less than a week. There’s no smoke without fire and the timing of these reports for the umpteenth time leads me to believe that something is brewing. This is very different from what happened with Ja Morant and Memphis. I’d be shocked if Antetokounmpo played another game in that uniform. Injuries, toxicity and the leverage war will ultimately win out.
Rohrbach: False. Before Antetokounmpo was “ready for a new home” on Wednesday, I got the sense that it made more sense to wait until the draft to make the move. “Better in the summer,” one source familiar with Milwaukee’s thinking told me. “More flexibility.” And that stance has not changed in the aftermath of Antetokounmpo’s availability. More teams can offer more (and likely better) draft capital after the season. It is also difficult to pull together a deal of this magnitude in the course of a week, especially if more than two teams are involved. I think Giannis remains a Buck until June, and in that case, I just cannot envision him sitting out the rest of the season.
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Jensen: True. Usually, I’d think hanging on to Antetokounmpo until the summer would make the most sense, but this time around my thoughts have changed, as long as the offers out there are worthwhile. Given that numerous teams can offer major trade packages, I believe it’s enough of an incentive for the Bucks to act now. I say this with one caveat: If a team calls up the Bucks and offers a summer package that’s so preposterously more attractive, due to the assets that get freed up in July, then it should behoove Milwaukee to wait, while finding every single reason to limit the amount of games Antetokounmpo plays for the remainder of the regular season.
Haberstroh: True. Even if he isn’t traded at the deadline, the Bucks would be unwise to play him at all with those calf strains the rest of the year. They need to slide in the draft and prioritize his health — and then trade him this summer at full value. What a run in Milwaukee he’s had.