Giannis Antetokounmpo Has the Philadelphia 76ers On His Radar
With a trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo looking more and more likely, more teams are emerging as suitors for Milwaukee’s superstar. The Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors are viewed as the front-runners for Antetokounmpo. A new report today linked a new team out of nowhere.
According to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer, Antetokounmpo reportedly has the Philadelphia 76ers on his radar. If he were to join Philadelphia, he has the potential to team up with Tyrese Maxey, who shares an NBA trainer with Giannis in Drew Hanlen. As of today, Philadelphia has not contacted Milwaukee about a possible trade.
Antetokounmpo Has Interest In Philly
It’s definitely interesting that Antetokounmpo has interest in joining the Philadelphia 76ers, but it’s still a long shot to happen. The reason why Philadelphia hasn’t reached out to at least check in is that they know they’re not going to pay the high asking price to acquire him. The Bucks want a blue-chip prospect and multiple draft picks in return, which Philadelphia won’t do.
Any deal would have to include VJ Edgecombe, who has completely revamped the roster and brought a ton of much-needed energy. Daryl Morey has emphasized getting younger, and he accomplished that by drafting Edgecombe third overall in the past draft. Even if they included him in the deal, it still wouldn’t be enough. They would have to trade multiple first-round picks and throw in someone like Jared McCain for the Bucks to even consider the offer.
The 76ers Shouldn’t Trade For Him
Not only do they not have enough assets to trade for him, but Antetokounmpo simply does not fit in their starting lineup. Joel Embiid is always in the paint and needs spacing when teams double-team him, forcing him to pass to the perimeter. Acquiring someone like Antetokounmpo, who is incapable of shooting and also lives in the paint, would make no sense and would make Nick Nurse’s job harder.
They would tear apart their roster and become extremely thin, all to acquire one player who, at the end of the day, doesn’t put them over the top. We all know how good Antetokounmpo is, but he is better when he’s in a system with players who complement him, which the 76ers do not have.
On top of this, Antetokounmpo has had a concerning injury history, which could all come crashing down at any time. He’s dealt with recurring calf injuries, which have kept him out for a ton of time, and we all know what playing on a sore/injured calf leads to. Tyrese Haliburton and Jayson Tatum both tore their Achilles after suffering calf injuries last season, and Antetokounmpo could be headed for the same thing if he pushes himself too far.
Where Will Giannis Go?
While the 76ers will make smaller moves, there will still be a big market for Antetokounmpo. The Golden State Warriors will be the frontrunners and have everything that the Milwaukee Bucks are going to want in a deal for the star power forward. Jonathan Kuminga, who’s been on the trade block for a long time, would be the “blue chip” prospect, and Jimmy Butler would be the name going over in the deal solely to match the salaries. The Warriors would also have to include a ton of first-round picks and more players.
Golden State would land the star they’ve desperately been searching for since Kevin Durant departed in free agency for the Brooklyn Nets, leaving Steph Curry all by himself. To compete in the Western Conference, the Warriors need more star power, and Giannis immediately makes them one of the best teams in the West. No one can compete with what they have to offer, but it will all come down to where Antetokounmpo wants to go.
