Blockbuster Mock Trade Sends Giannis Antetokounmpo to Warriors

ESPN’s Bobby Marks and Kevin Pelton came up with several realistic trade frameworks — including significant proposals from the Golden State Warriors, Atlanta Hawks, Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, and Knicks.

ESPN’s Proposed Warriors Package for Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo

In the scenario presented by Marks, the Warriors would receive:

• Giannis Antetokounmpo
• Thanasis Antetokounmpo

Milwaukee, in exchange for their franchise player, would receive:

• Draymond Green
• Jonathan Kuminga
• Buddy Hield
• Four draft picks: 2026 first-round, 2028 first-round, 2030 first-round if 1 through 20), 2032 first-round

Marks described this type of blockbuster as a “Hail Mary” move for both sides.

For Milwaukee, the return offers two key objectives: adding controllable players who can contribute now, a strong locker room presence in Green, and plenty of assets to replenish their draft capital.

"Milwaukee could give Kuminga plenty of runway to see if he's a long-term keeper, reroute Green, a proven winner and still elite defender, to a contender, and extract the maximal pick package from Golden State, hoping that some of those outlying picks could be extremely lucrative once Stephen Curry retires," Marks wrote.

The long-term upside of the future Warriors picks holds appeal, especially with the possibility that selections in 2028, 2030 and beyond could gain value in a post-Stephen Curry era.

For Golden State, acquiring Antetokounmpo would represent an aggressive attempt to keep their championship window open while Curry remains a Dub.

"For the Warriors, a blockbuster trade would represent an attempt to break out of the funk that has plagued them this season," Marks wrote. "Adding Antetokounmpo would be a supercharged version of last season's trade for Jimmy Butler III and create a championship-caliber core, potentially with enough depth behind that star trio to scare the Thunder and the West's best teams."

Ultimately, Marks noted that while the Warriors deal may be the strongest in terms of draft capital, other teams, such as Atlanta, could still present offers (in this case, sending star point guard Trae Youngthe other way) that might appeal more to Milwaukee depending on their priorities.

Nonetheless, Golden State remains positioned as one of the few franchises capable of putting together a competitive bid for Antetokounmpo if Milwaukee opens discussions.