Report: There is ‘mutual interest’ between the Raptors and Giannis Antetokounmpo

Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo could be on the move in a trade this offseason, and it appears that the Toronto Raptors may be a landing spot for the former league MVP.

“I don’t know if it will happen but I do know there is mutual interest between Antetokounmpo and the Raptors,” the Toronto Star’s Doug Smith wrote. “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. I would make the case that a logjam at the wings makes them deep enough that if they had to pay even two out of Gradey Dick, Ochai Agbaji, Ja’Kobe Walter, RJ Barrett, Jonathan Mogbo would still leave enough to fill out a pretty good team with promising young players still developing. Plus, they have all their picks, so giving a first-rounder every year for, say, four years, leaves enough.”

The Raptors have made a major trade for a superstar before, as they acquired Kawhi Leonard from the San Antonio Spurs ahead of the 2018-19 season. That move paid off in a big way for the Raptors, as Leonard ended up leading them to an NBA title that season.

It’s possible that the Raptors see a similar path with Antetokounmpo, as they have an interesting core on their roster that features Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, Immanuel Quickley, Barrett and Jakob Poeltl.

The Raptors failed to make the playoffs in the 2024-25 season, but they dealt with a lot of injuries. Quickley missed a big chunk of the season, and Ingram never played for the team after being acquired in a deal prior to the trade deadline.

Antetokounmpo and the Bucks are in a bit of a strange spot, which could make him available this offseason.

The two-time league MVP has continuously led the Bucks to the playoffs, but their supporting cast has not been good enough to get back to the NBA Finals since the team won the title in the 2020-21 season over the Phoenix Suns.

Star guard Damian Lillard tore his Achilles in the first round of the playoffs against the Indiana Pacers this season, and that puts a major damper on the Bucks’ chances to win a title in the 2025-26 season.

Antetokounmpo is still playing at an MVP level, and he may decide to ask out from Milwaukee so he has a better chance to chase a title. This season, Antetokounmpo averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game while shooting 60.1 percent from the field and 22.2 percent from 3.

Ultimately, the Raptors will need to come up with a trade package that works for the Bucks to acquire Antetokounmpo. If the star big man becomes available, it is likely that many teams will attempt to deal for him.

So, Toronto may need to sacrifice some of its young players, and a lot of draft capital, just to land the former NBA Finals MVP.