According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, the Golden State Warriors tried to trade for Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo in February.
The Bucks were obviously not interested in trading Antetokounmpo.
The Warriors also tried to trade for Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant before ultimately acquiring Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat.
“The Warriors have long been viewed across the NBA as a top landing spot for the Bucks star,” Siegel wrote. “Giannis has long been on Golden State’s wishlist, and the organization made a call to the Bucks at the trade deadline regarding Antetokounmpo, sources said. This was before acquiring Butler and after their failed pursuit of Durant.”
Antetokounmpo has spent his entire career with the Bucks, who signed the two-time MVP and one-time Finals MVP to a three-year, $175 million extension in October 2023.
The Bucks are down 2-0 to the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the 2025 playoffs. Indiana beat Milwaukee in the first round of the 2024 playoffs in six games.
The Warriors are tied 1-1 with the Houston Rockets. Butler may not play in Game 3 after getting hurt in Game 2.
According to Brian Windhorst of ESPN, Antetokounmpo has given no indication he’s not focused on maximizing what the Bucks have.
“Giannis has been just awesome this season,” Windhorst said on his podcast. “He’s clearly understood that they’re challenged and he has cut the BS out of his game and cut the fat out of his game and tried doing everything he can to carry this team and they’re just not good enough. And what is he supposed to do? This is the elephant in the room in the league right now. This team is losing tens of millions of dollars.
“And the other thing I’ll say is from talking to people in and around Milwaukee, Giannis has given no indication throughout this entire season that he is not 100% focused on maximizing what the Bucks have. This is people in the league looking at the lay of the land, not anything that Giannis has said to anybody.”
The Bucks won the title in 2021. Since then, they have lost to the Boston Celtics in the second round of the 2022 playoffs, the Heat in the first round of the 2023 playoffs and the Pacers in the first round of the 2024 playoffs.
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