With each passing hour, the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes get a bit more interesting, and Minnesota Timberwolves fans are anxiously awaiting any updates.
After trading Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Atlanta Hawks for Kristaps Porzingis, the Golden State Warriors seem to be out of the running for Giannis. One less suitor for Giannis, that's got to be good news for the Wolves, right? But there's more, per Shams Charania, the Warriors don't believe the Milwaukee Bucks are going to trade Giannis before Thursday at 3 pm EST.
"The Warriors' pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo is over. They have moved on clearly with these moves. My understanding is that the Warriors made a pick-heavy offer last week, continued to have conversations going into this week with the Bucks. But the Warriors came to the belief over the past 24 hours that the Bucks were not going to be moving their two-time MVP at this trade deadline. We'll see if that holds true," Shams said.
Just in on @SportsCenter -- Jonathan Kuminga's Warriors tenure ends in three-player deal sending him to Atlanta for Kristaps Porzingis: pic.twitter.com/njG9B7fZ1G
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 5, 2026
It seems likely that the Bucks will keep Giannis, but things can change
Now, this is complicated. Shams didn't outright say that the Bucks won't be trading Giannis -- he simply said this is what the Warriors believe. However, the writing seems to be on the wall for Giannis to stay put. Previously, Marc Stein reported that the Bucks could be banking on luck in the draft lottery to convince Giannis to stay. Furthermore, Brian Windhorst said he does not see a lot of momentum toward Milwaukee making a Giannis move before the deadline.
The Wolves' dream of landing Giannis isn't over, but it appears to be hanging on by a thread. Still, things can change in an instant this time of year, and stranger things have certainly happened.
In any event, this past week has been a rollercoaster ride for Wolves fans, and Shams' latest comments don't provide the desired clarity.
Even if you aren't a Timberwolves fan, Shams' comments have to be a bit disappointing. It's clear that Giannis doesn't want to stay in Milwaukee, and at this point, everyone is just waiting to see where his next home will be. But I digress.
Again, Shams didn't entirely shut the door on a trade. However, he made it seem less likely. Minnesota's path to trading for Giannis has always been complicated. This is true even after getting under the first-tax apron by trading Mike Conley.
The reality is that the Bucks are likely to prioritize picks if and when they embark on a post-Giannis era, and the Wolves can't satisfy this need. As such, the clearest path to making a trade work is getting a third team (likely the Portland Trail Blazers) involved. In all likelihood, the Wolves would have to part ways with Jaden McDaniels and Julius Randle to pull off a trade.
If this saga stretches into the offseason, though, the Wolves will gain access to two extra first-round picks. This makes a trade easier. At the same time, several other teams will have access to more picks.
This may end up being a blessing in disguise for the Wolves. Regardless, it's fair to be disappointed after Shams' comments, as earlier in the week, it seemed like there was real momentum for the Wolves to make an improbable trade for Giannis.