One NBA executive believes that the Oklahoma City Thunder are in the best position to land Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo if he requests a trade from the team.
Antetokounmpo recently shared that he doesn’t plan on signing an extension with the Bucks unless the franchise is on the same page as him when it comes to competing for a title. If the team isn’t committed the same way he is, then it’s possible he will look to leave Milwaukee.
Giannis says that he doesn't plan on signing an extension until he knows the Bucks will continue to compete for a championship. pic.twitter.com/8H7dJUxPHM
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 24, 2023
Oklahoma City is stocked with assets – draft picks and young players – that could make sense for the Bucks if they’re forced to move on from the two-time MVP.
“No one would be in better position to go after him than OKC,” the executive told Heavy.com’s Sean Deveney. “Not to say they would, but they’d have to be a starting point. They have the young talent, they have, I think it is nine (first-round) picks in the next three years. If Milwaukee decides, OK, we’ve got to move on here, that is the first team you call. There aren’t many guys who are going to make the Thunder think about a big move, packaging the assets. But Giannis is one, if he’d want to go there.”
Oklahoma City has at least two first-round picks in every single draft for the next three seasons. While some of the picks have protections and may not convey right away, the Thunder still have a boatload of assets they could use to entice the Bucks.
Not only that, but the Thunder are an up-and-coming young team that could be in the playoff picture for the foreseeable future.
Oklahoma City made the play-in tournament in the Western Conference last season, and it has an All-NBA guard in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the way. The team also has young players like Josh Giddey, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Jaylin Williams, Lu Dort, Tre Mann and Cason Wallace that could be pieces in a potential trade.
The Thunder have been hoarding assets for several seasons since trading away Russell Westbrook and Paul George, and they could decide to pounce if Antetokounmpo, a Finals MVP, becomes available.
For now, Oklahoma City can focus on making itself a desirable destination for a player like Antetokounmpo by proving that it can make the playoffs in a crowded Western Conference.
