Giannis Antetokounmpo going to Raptors would be a tough sell

Giannis Antetokounmpo's future is shaping into a key storyline for the summer. The two-time MVP has consistently made his desire to win clear. However, the Milwaukee Bucks have been unable to piece together a contending-level roster in recent years.

As such, there's a growing belief among NBA fans that Antetokounmpo could look for a change of scenery during the offseason. According to Doug Smith of The Toronto Daily Star, Antetokounmpo and the Toronto Raptors have a mutual interest.

"I don’t know if it will happen, but I do know there is mutual interest between Antetokounmpo and the Raptors," Smith reported. "The wild card is the cost. But I also think the Raptors are uniquely placed to make an attractive offer that won’t ruin their franchise or roster." 

A key discussion point surrounding any potential trade for Antetokounmpo is the steep asking price the Bucks will undoubtedly slap on their star asset. Teams will need to gut their asset storage in order to have a chance of prying him away from Milwaukee. Therefore, there's a chance Antetokounmpo could land in a worse position than he currently finds himself in.

It's for that reason that Brian Windhorst recently cited the Boston Celtics as a logical landing spot for the veteran forward. The 2024 champions are one of the few teams with enough depth to absorb the cost of acquiring a superstar while having talent to remain competitive after the deal is done.

“I think you have to look at the teams that could make a trade for Giannis that the Bucks would accept and on the other side of the trade would have a contending team,” Windhorst said on a May 29 episode of 'Get Up.' “So Boston would be on that list. Boston may be the only one.”

Toronto, like Boston, could have the depth required to make a Giannis deal work. However, adding the 30-year-old would mean the Raptors are making a significant U-turn from their current rebuilding efforts. 

Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett would undoubtedly be the headliners in a potential trade. They're the Raptors' two best players at present. Therefore, Antetokounmpo would be surrounded by role players, with no clear second star to help support him. 

Sure, the Raptors would be a competitive team in a weakened Eastern Conference, but the fit would be far from ideal. Toronto would need a year or so to build out a competitive rotation around Antetokounmpo. At that point, he might as well stick with the Bucks and continue building his legacy there.

Toronto may have the talent needed to create a viable trade package, but in truth, selling Antetokounmpo on a vision that is still a year or two away will be a tough sell. He wants to compete now. Otherwise, the motivation for him switching teams will be null and void.