The NBA world is buzzing about a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade request that could come any day now. Giving hope to the rest of the league are the Cleveland Cavaliers, who once beat the favorites to land a star of their own in Donovan Mitchell.
What should have happened over the summer is now popping its head back up: Giannis Antetokounmpo could be requesting a trade. Whether or not he did a few months back, Antetokounmpo and his camp are being pushed past the breaking point by how poorly the Bucks are playing this season. They are 10-13, tied for 11th in the Eastern Conference, with a -2.0 net rating. They have not been good.
As reported by ESPN, Antetokounmpo is close to requesting a trade out of Milwaukee and such a decision is "expected in the coming weeks" from Giannis and his agent, Alex Saratsis. With Antetokounmpo putting up another first-team All-NBA season, it is the kind of decision that could shake up the entire NBA.
The New York Knicks are certainly in the mix, as they were Antetekounmpo's preferred destination over the summer when he did / did not request a trade to New York. Yet the Knicks also have precious few assets to send back to the Bucks in a deal, which means it's not a fait acompli that they will secure the Greek Freak.
Ohio's own Brian Windhorst reported that if and when Antetokounmpo requests a trade, he will do so by telling the Bucks what team to trade him to. That is a significant amount of leverage for him to exert, and given his standing in the league and in Bucks franchise history, it is a power move he might be able to pull off.
Does that mean the rest of the league is out of it? Hardly. ESPN and others are reporting that many teams around the league will be interested. And it's because of the Cleveland Cavaliers that they all have hope.
The Cavaliers jumped in line for Donovan Mitchell
A little over three years ago, in the summer of 2022, Donovan Mitchell and the Utah Jazz were heading for a breakup. The Jazz were preparing to enter a full-scale rebuild, and Mitchell was the prize jewel being shopped after Rudy Gobert was snatched up by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Mitchell grew up outside of New York rooting for the Knicks. As a CAA client, he had massive ties to Knicks president Leon Rose and the entire organization. The Knicks had assets to trade and were motivated to get a deal done. All of it was coming together for Mitchell to be traded to the New York Knicks.
Then seemingly out of nowhere, the Cavaliers swooped in. They offered a substantial amount of draft capital alongside good players in Lauri Markkanen and Collin Sexton, and the Jazz took their offer. Mitchell has completely changed the trajectory of the Cleveland franchise, and by re-signing with the Cavs proved them right for taking the swing, even if they haven't yet made the Finals run they expect to make.
The Knicks were in the driver's seat, they fumbled the ball, and another team -- a small market one, at that -- stepped in and won the star. That narrative could be repeated once again in this most recent trade saga, and it gives hope to the rest of the league.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is a franchise-changing talent. He could decide the title race over the next year or two. The Knicks may have an advantage in trading for him, but it's not clear that they want to, or are willing to do what it takes to make a deal happen.
If not, another team can do just what the Cavaliers did and step in to make a deal -- changing their future and their present by being bold and unafraid. Credit Cleveland for landing Donovan Mitchell, and watch for another team to try and do the same.