The NBA trade deadline is still a little less than two months away, but the rumor mill nonetheless is red hot. And no player is generating more buzz than Giannis Antetokounmpo.
This was magnified when Antetokounmpo scrubbed his social media accounts of nearly all mentions of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Realistically, just about every team in the NBA could use a player like Antetokounmpo; the questions are whether he asks out from the Bucks and becomes available, and which team might actually deploy the assets necessary to execute the deal.
Antetokounmpo reportedly favors the Knicks as a destination, but reports have also cited that Antetokounmpo favors big markets and warmth. That limits possible destinations to just a few teams.
Here’s a ranking of possible trade destinations for Giannis Antetokounmpo based on fit.
Giannis Antetokounmpo trade fits
5. Los Angeles Lakers
This is one where, although the Lakers may covet this deal, and although it makes a lot of sense on the floor, they simply don’t have the assets necessary to entice the Bucks. This is particularly the case if shipping Ausin Reaves is a nonstarter.
Los Angeles will indeed be looking for a star player to eventually replace LeBron James, who is on an expiring contract, so Antetokounmpo does make some sense here.
But Reaves has developed a solid rapport with Luka Dončić, and his contract status makes a trade, at least right now, an improbability. He’s locked in through the 2026-27 season, but makes an average of just $14.4 million per season. The Lakers would need to move a ton of additional salary simply to make the deal work, or involve other teams. For L.A. to have a practical shot, this would have to wait for the offseason, when it would have more first-round picks to trade.
4. New York Knicks
Although it may be the spot Antetokounmpo prefers most, it’s an unconventional fit. The Knicks already have a ball-dominant player in Jalen Brunson, a two-time consecutive All-Star who pushes his way into the paint just as easily as he can knock down perimeter shots.
The potential issue here is that New York has built its offense around a steady diet of 3-point shots; the Knicks rank fourth in the NBA in makes (15.1 per game), seventh in attempts (39.9) and fourth in 3-point shooting percentage (37.8%). Karl-Anthony Towns, the stretch center who would almost certainly be shipped in a potential trade, is an essential part in creating the spacing necessary for the offense to flow — not to mention his range and ability to hit them from any spot in the halfcourt.
Antetokounmpo’s strength is pushing pace and getting to the rim. The Knicks have, at times, looked to play quicker, so it’s not that this fit is unsustainable, it’s just more than New York would need to adapt its offensive thesis somewhat to accommodate Antetokounmpo.
3. Houston Rockets
The question here is what Houston would be willing to give up. The Rockets have a ton of promising, young players — exactly the kind of assets that Milwaukee would want in an Antetokounmpo deal. But, given the salary swaps that would need to take place, this is a trade that might be difficult to execute on paper.
On the floor, however, it would make the Rockets the longest and most diversely athletic roster in the NBA, even if it were forced to trade Amen Thompson and Alperen Şengün. The question would be if Houston’s shooting around Kevin Durant and Antetokounmpo would be enough to compete against tough defensive teams like the Thunder.
But the Rockets already have a nice balance of veterans and emerging stars. Şengün is only 23 and Thompson is even younger at 22. The Rockets went all-in on this build; they might be better served just riding it out.
2. Miami Heat
In terms of the offense they run, the Heat might be the most seamless fit. Miami, lacking a player who thrives on pick-and-rolls, completely overhauled its offense to focus on pace, transition and a free-flowing, abstract structure. The Heat don’t run very many plays. They rarely set screens.
They can put the ball in Antetokounmpo’s hands and let him attack defenses, allowing for kickout opportunities for Norman Powell, Davion Mitchell and other shooters. It also eases the pressure on Bam Adebayo to create in the paint and should create more mid-range and perimeter shot opportunities.
The Heat likely would need to include Tyler Herro, promising young center Kel’el Ware and a number of picks. It’s unclear if that would be enough for Milwaukee. But with a coach like Erik Spoelstra and an adaptable staff, there’s no reason to think Antetokounmpo wouldn’t shine in Miami.
1. San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs have young guards in Dylan Harper, Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox. And though San Antonio may not want to part with any, pairing Victor Wembanyama with Antetokounmpo would be fascinating. That would give the Spurs the most athletically gifted frontcourt in NBA history.
It would make the prospect of scoring in the paint on San Antonio an absolute nightmare. It also makes the idea of a Wembanyama-Antetokounmpo pick-and-roll a nightmare to defend.
This would be a move that would directly address Oklahoma City’s supremacy — the team the Spurs just toppled in the NBA Cup semifinal — in the Western Conference. The Spurs are middle of the pack in pace (100.88; 16th), so San Antonio might do better to pick up its transition opportunities with Antetokounmpo on the floor. But as long as San Antonio would retain some perimeter shooting in a trade, this would make the Spurs a legitimate NBA Finals threat.