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Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors reignite after Stephen A. Smith’s Warriors comments

Originally posted on HITC | By Luca Rosano | Last updated Oct 10, 2025 7:55 AM ET

Rumours about Giannis Antetokounmpo are starting to pick up momentum again.

Shams Charania of ESPN has reported that the New York Knicks were the only team Antetokounmpo was interested in outside of the Milwaukee Bucks during the offseason.

There was a period when the Knicks and Bucks discussed a trade, but nothing came of it. Since then, speculation around a possible move has continued to build.

The speculation around Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future has been building for quite some time now, dating back even before his comments after losing to Miami in the 2023 playoffs. He made it clear he wanted another championship and would leave Milwaukee if he didn’t think they could get it done.

Antetokounmpo addressed the topic again before signing his contract extension with Milwaukee, reiterating that staying wasn’t guaranteed unless he felt confident in their title chances. Fast forward through this season, which hasn’t lived up to expectations for the Bucks, and those discussions haven’t gone away.

For now, Giannis remains focused on helping Greece qualify for the Olympics. After that campaign wraps up in early July, attention will turn back to what comes next in his NBA career and whether another round of trade rumors might be on the horizon.

Fans split over Giannis Antetokounmpo link to Golden State Warriors

Smith threw out the idea of Giannis joining Golden State, saying: “Don’t let Giannis get to Golden State with Steph Curry.” He even went as far as saying it would be unfair for the rest of the league.

He added that if it happened, the Warriors would “coast to the [NBA] title.”

The reaction was mixed. Some fans liked the idea, others weren’t so sure. The fit raised some questions.

Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images

One fan wrote: “A pick and roll with Steph and Giannis would be the most unstoppable play in the NBA. There is one way to guard either of those two guys, double outside the three-point line for Steph or build a wall for Giannis. Teams would have to pick one guy to double while the other guy gets 40+ points.”

But not everyone saw it working out. Another fan drew comparisons to past superteams that didn’t pan out, such as Brooklyn’s failed trio of Harden, Kyrie and Durant.

“What people said when Harden Kyrie and Durant were on same team,” they wrote. “Same with every other unstoppable big three on paper. Just because it looks good on paper doesn’t mean it’s gonna land when they put ball in play.”

Another fan focused on just how tough a Curry-Giannis pairing could be in practice: “How do you defend a Steph-Giannis PNR with Steph being screen setter?”

The Western Conference has never been tougher, though, and getting through teams like Denver and OKC is no easy task.

How the Warriors could put together a Giannis trade offer

If Milwaukee decide to explore trades for Giannis, teams like the New York Knicks, San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder would have the upper hand in terms of assets.

But even with a strong pitch, it’s not likely that Golden State could put together an attractive enough offer. The one thing they do have is Jonathan Kuminga to build a deal around.

The Warriors still have their top young asset on the roster, and if they’re ready to make a real push for Antetokounmpo, now might be the time to act.

Any deal would also need more young players included, such as Moses Moody or even Brandin Podziemski. If the Warriors are serious about making another title run with another superstar addition, there may be an opening for it.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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