Reigning MVP and Defensive Player of the Year Giannis Antetokounmpo has become the center of trade rumors after the Milwaukee Bucks were eliminated by the Miami Heat in the second round of the 2020 Playoffs. With their failure to live up to expectations from the best team in the Eastern Conference, some people think that Antetokounmpo will consider leaving the Bucks for a team that could give him a better chance of winning an NBA championship title. One of the top trade destinations for the “Greek Freak” is the Golden State Warriors.
In a recent guest appearance on All the Smoke podcast with Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes, via YouTube , NBA legend Allen Iverson talked about several topics, including Antetokounmpo. When Jackson said that he wants to see Antetokounmpo leave the Bucks for the Warriors, Iverson expressed the same sentiment.
“Yes. Yes. I would love him to go there,” Iverson said, as quoted by Drew Shiller of NBC Sports Bay Area . “That’s where I want him to go. I want him to go to Golden State man.”
If he’s desperate to win his first championship ring, taking his talent to Golden State would undeniably make a lot of sense for Antetokounmpo. The Warriors may have finished the season as one of the worst teams in the Western Conference, but with the nearing return of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green to the court, they are already emerging as one of the heavy favorites to bring home the Larry O’Brien Trophy next year.
Adding Antetokounmpo to the trio of Curry, Thompson, and Green would tremendously improve the Warriors’ performance on both ends of the floor and further strengthen their chances of reclaiming their throne and reviving their dynasty. He would give the Warriors another prolific scorer, great rebounder, facilitator, and elite defender. This season, the 25-year-old power forward averaged 29.5 points, 13.6 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.0 block, and 1.0 steal while shooting 55.3 percent from the field and 30.4 percent from beyond the arc, per ESPN .
The Bucks have already informed everyone in the league that they have no intention of moving Antetokounmpo, but if they fail to reach an agreement regarding a contract extension, they could be forced to entertain trade offers for him in the 2020 offseason. Once Antetokounmpo becomes available on the trading block, the Warriors are among the teams that could offer the Bucks the most interesting package. Aside from having Andrew Wiggins’ massive contract for salary-matching purposes, they also possess the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft and the Minnesota Timberwolves’ 2021 first-rounder.
