With the trade deadline looming, Giannis Antetokounmpo becoming available has straight-up flipped the script. The Sacramento Kings are not considered to be a likely landing spot for the Greek Freak, but his being on the market could close some trade opportunities for the Kings and open others.
Giannis honestly hasn't seemed happy with the Bucks for a long time. Since winning the NBA Championship in 2021, Milwaukee has not been seen as a serious contender. The front office has struggled to build a consistent winner around the All-Star and former two-time MVP.
Even a few weeks ago, Giannis made it clear that he would never ask for a trade. That was followed by a lot of losses, the Milwaukee crowd booing him, and an injury that will keep him out for four to six weeks. Now, Giannis is on the market, and front offices across the league are circling like sharks.
The biggest contenders for his services so far are the Warriors, Wolves, Heat, and Knicks. Adding Giannis to any of those teams could push them into being legit championship contenders. It could also throw a wrench into some of the Kings' trade plans before the deadline.
A Giannis Antetokounmpo trade will have a ripple effect on the league
Sacramento doesn't have the trade capital to be in the mix for Giannis, and he likely doesn't want to go to a team contending for worst in the league. At the same time, his trade will impact the Kings, as there was talk of the Bucks bringing in Zach LaVine to support him. That trade may be over.
The Warriors have notoriously been interested in trading for Giannis for years. If they take advantage of this current scenario, Jonathan Kumiga would likely be part of the package heading to Milwaukee. That would, in turn, crush the Kings' long-standing dreams of getting Kuminga on the roster.
At the same time, any of the teams who don't end up getting Giannis might be more inspired to make other trades work. That could be the Warriors who still want to move on from Kuminga. For the Bucks, losing Giannis could push them into making other trades like bringing in Domantas Sabonis.
When a player like Giannis Antetokounmpo gets traded, it creates a ripple effect that impacts the plans of every other team in the league. Any trades that are in the works are likely to be put on hold until everyone sees where he lands. Then, everything will move at lightning speed.