Story by
NBA trade rumors: Will Giannis Antetokounmpo be traded by deadline?
- Story by
- NBA trade rumors: Will Giannis Antetokounmpo be traded by deadline?
The NBA trade deadline is exactly two weeks away, so it's time to take stock of the rumors that are out there.
It's important to note that not everything that's leaked this time of the year can be believed, at least not without appropriate skepticism. Whenever a report bubbles up that cites anonymous sources, it bears asking why one party — from the player side or from the team — would want that information to go public. Put another way: this is the time of year when posturing and negotiation can happen through the press.
Advertisement
Still, there has only been one trade executed thus far, when the Atlanta Hawks moved Trae Young to the Washington Wizards Jan. 7 for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert .
Here's everything you need to know about the latest NBA trade rumors and what they mean ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline:
NBA trade rumors
Giannis Antetokounmpo , Milwaukee Bucks
Like most trade markets, this one is waiting for resolution of its biggest domino.
The teams that might otherwise be hesitant to make smaller moves will be closely watching what happens with the Bucks, who have lost 20 of their last 30 games. Antetokounmpo has made it clear he's not entirely happy in Milwaukee , though he also made it clear he won't ask for a trade , at least publicly.
Advertisement
Antetokounmpo seemingly wants to preserve optics and doesn't want to be the bad guy in this scenario. But Antetokounmpo, 31, is the best player in the Eastern Conference and a legitimate MVP threat when fully healthy. It's more likely that the Bucks will look to be buyers — hello, Ja Morant ? — to try to appease Antetokounmpo, who's under contract through the 2026-27 season, with a player option the following year.
The reality here is that the Bucks — even if they did want to move Antetokounmpo to rebuild and recoup assets — have no incentive to do so now.
While there is the pressure of the deadline, prospective trading partners are limited in the players and draft capital they can offer. That changes over the offseason, once teams like the Lakers , Heat, Warriors and others are able to deploy further future draft capital to entice Milwaukee.
For Antetokounmpo to be on a different team Feb. 6, he would have to make it ugly and demand a deal. This one, at least right now, seems unlikely to happen.
Advertisement
Come the offseason, however, that may be a very different story.
Karl-Anthony Towns , New York Knicks
The Athletic reported this week that the Knicks, who are Antetokounmpo's reported preferred destination, might not be ruling out a trade of Towns, their 30-year-old floor-spacing big.
And while the temptation is to think Towns can be the centerpiece in a trade for Antetokounmpo, it's an odd fit, and the Bucks would almost certainly be interested in New York's wings. For one, Milwaukee just signed Myles Turner , who has a similar skill set to Towns. For another, Towns has been criticized recently — most notably from his own head coach — for his lack of effort during a game against the Kings.
Advertisement
The Knicks, though, made their first conference finals in 25 seasons last year. They clearly have the roster to compete in the East. Team owner James Dolan made it clear when he fired Tom Thibodeau in June , that it was NBA Finals or bust. He also has said that this build has enough to win a championship.
Similar to Milwaukee, New York is probably more likely to package some of its depth for another role player than it is to trade Towns.
Anthony Davis , Dallas Mavericks
A left hand injury that's set to sideline Davis well beyond the deadline may have cratered any chance he had of being traded. Davis, already, has been an injury liability in Dallas, playing just 29 of a possible 86 games since he joined the Mavericks last February.
Advertisement
Given his massive salary, age, and health issues, his value is as low as it has ever been. That's the frustrating part for the Mavericks; Davis is averaging 20.4 points and 11.1 rebounds when he's on the floor. He was the headliner in the infamous trade that sent Luka Dončić to the Lakers .
It's challenging to see any team being comfortable with the prospect of shipping real assets for Davis, who may not align with the team's timeline. Still, a young team that has shown improvement like the Hornets, who would likely love a veteran presence, may be an intriguing option.
Could the Warriors, who have sorely lacked a consistent offensive threat in the paint and who just lost Jimmy Butler to a torn anterior cruciate ligament, be another potential fit? Golden State is desperate to make use of the window with Stephen Curry and does have Jonathan Kuminga to dangle in a deal.
Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
This is where the reports get interesting. NBA insider Chris Haynes reported that the Grizzlies are very comfortable with the idea of keeping Morant. The read here appears to be that Memphis hasn't been blown away by the market for Morant and is trying to build leverage.
Advertisement
NBA insider Marc Stein also reported that Morant doesn't want to be dealt . Yet the Grizzlies are currently outside of the play-in picture in the West and will likely continue to listen to any offers that come their way. This appears to be a case where Memphis needs to feel that the offer presents suitable value.
One thing helping a potential deal: in the two games since Morant returned from a right calf contusion, he has combined to score 47 points and dish 25 assists. That type of play could entice teams like the Timberwolves or Warriors to push for a deal.
Michael Porter Jr., Brooklyn Nets
This feels like a deal that will get done, though a knee sprain has seemingly slowed Porter, who has nonetheless been a positive for Brooklyn this year.
Advertisement
But the Nets are going nowhere and Porter's value has never been higher. Brooklyn has been loading up on draft capital, so this could present the best chance to leverage Porter's play into more picks.
The Pistons, Warriors, Lakers and Bucks could be potential fits.
Jonathan Kuminga, Golden State Warriors
This is another one that seems inevitable. Kuminga became eligible for a trade Jan. 15, and he simply has not been a fit on Steve Kerr's team — even with the injury to Jimmy Butler .
Kuminga is more of an athletic slasher, whereas Golden State thrives best when its role players are spot-up shooters. Kuminga's defense is also suspect, and given that the Warriors are undersized, they cannot afford to have a weak link on that side of the floor.
Advertisement
But Golden State also hasn't done a good job of propping Kuminga's value up, eventually removing him from the rotation; in a loss Tuesday, Jan. 20 against the Raptors, Kuminga scored 20 points on an efficient 7-of-10 shooting and hauled in 5 rebounds in 21 minutes. It was his first action since Dec. 18.
Kuminga is still only 23 and is on a one-year deal (with a club option for next season), so a team that deals for him may want more than a short-term rental.
The Kings, Mavericks, Lakers, Bucks and Nets may be potential destinations.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Latest NBA trade rumors on Giannis, Ja, KAT, Anthony Davis
