The Milwaukee Bucks trading Giannis Antetokounmpo has never seemed more like a real possibility. While Giannis has yet to request a trade, tensions are high as the Bucks are spiraling in the standings (currently outside of the Play-In Tournament in a weak Eastern Conference) and the two-time MVP has been non-committal about his future. Giannis' recent calf injury complicates things, but it's clear his future with the team is hazy at best.
If the Bucks opt to move off Giannis ahead of the deadline (or in the offseason), numerous teams would try to make a push for him. One of these teams might be the Minnesota Timberwolves, who have previously expressed interest in him. However, given the Wolves' lack of draft capital and high payroll, trading for Giannis was always going to be a clear challenge for Tim Connelly and company.
Recently, ESPN's Bobby Marks wrote an article discussing each team's chances of trading for Giannis. In this article, he detailed why the Wolves making a deal for Giannis will be nearly impossible, rating it as an 8/10 on his deal difficulty scale.
"Minnesota has no first-round picks available and is walking a financial tightrope. Landing Antetokounmpo could require some deadline maneuvering from president Tim Connelly," Marks wrote. "While the Wolves have players who can accelerate a rebuild in Milwaukee in Julius Randle, Naz Reid and Jaden McDaniels, they have no first-round picks to send in a deal. One option for the front office could be to reroute players to a third team for a future first-rounder that goes to Milwaukee. Making any trade construction more difficult, the Timberwolves are not allowed to take back more salary than they receive in a trade."
Trading for Giannis is a pipe dream for the Timberwolves
Marks is spot on with his assessment -- unless the Wolves can get a third team involved, trading for Giannis will essentially be impossible given their high payroll and lack of picks. At 31, with a pending 2027 free agency and a lengthy injury history, Giannis' trade value won't be at an all-time high. Even still, it's hard to imagine that the Bucks are going to settle for an offer that doesn't net them at least one first-round pick.
The Timberwolves can only offer a 2028 pick swap, which has limited value since Minnesota will likely be better than Milwaukee two years from now. Plus, you'd think the Bucks would like some young talent back, and the Wolves' young players are wildly unproven. Sure, getting some win-now talent back, such as Julius Randle and/or Jaden McDaniels, would be nice for the Bucks, who don't own many of their future picks. However, it's going to take a lot more than that to pull off a trade for Giannis.
Finding a third team to make a deal work sounds intriguing, but it's also incredibly difficult to do so in the second-apron era. Barring something unforeseen, there's simply no pathway for the Wolves to pull off a trade for Giannis.
Ultimately, while Connelly has a history of making unexpected moves and the thought of an Anthony Edwards-Giannis duo is tantalizing, Timberwolves fans shouldn't get their hopes up about a possible move. Instead, the Wolves should look to bolster their depth and guard play ahead of the trade deadline.