Giannis and Wembanyama alliance in San Antonio is only way to save NBA and stop OKC Thunder

If Giannis Antetokounmpo wants to win another NBA ring, then he should be doing everything in his power to force his way out of the Milwaukee Bucks.

With the Bucks having fallen out of play-in tournament contention in the first quarter of the 2025-25 NBA season – it seems as though he is about to do just that.

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Following an offseason of speculation where little materialized, now might be the time for a new challenge.

According to ESPN senior NBA insider Shams Charania, the Greek Freak and his agent have begun having conversations with the Bucks front office over his future with the franchise.

“Just in: Giannis Antetokounmpo and his agent Alex Saratsis have started conversations with the Milwaukee Bucks about the two-time NBA MVP’s future – and discussing whether his best fit is staying or elsewhere, sources tell ESPN. A resolution is expected in the coming weeks,” Charania posted to X on Wednesday.

This announcement came just hours before Antetokounmpo suffered a non-contact injury just three minutes into the Bucks’ 113-109 victory over the 17-5 Detroit Pistons, with it ruled as a right calf strain.

Earlier this season, it was revealed that Antetokounmpo’s preference was to remain in the Eastern Conference with the New York Knicks named as his desired destination.

A player of Antetokounmpo’s caliber, having made nine All-Star teams, and been named an All-NBA player nine times in his career, as well as earning a Defensive Player of the Year title, would have put all 29 other teams in the league on high alert.

But realistically, there are only a few options of teams that would 1) be able to afford his expected $275 million max extension salary when he becomes eligible in October 2026, and 2) have a legitimate chance of reaching the NBA Finals and being crowned as champions.

Then, other factors need to be factored in, such as the return haul for that of a top-three player in the league, with the Bucks ultimately needing to ensure they get the best package available to mitigate their rebuilding process.

San Antonio Spurs

Imagining a frontcourt partnership of Antetokounmpo and generational talent Victor Wembanyama, with All-Star point guard De’Aaron Fox running point, would be lethal.

It is a genuine possibility that the two could be paired together in a move that would certainly shake up the Western Conference, with the San Antonio Spurs reportedly looking to “aggressively pursue” the 30-year-old forward.

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The depth of the Spurs’ roster has been one of their major strengths as they have found themselves in a top-five position in the Western Conference standings, sitting at 15-6 on the year, even with Wembanyama having missed multiple games with injury.

The Spurs have a lot of blue-chip assets available which they could build a package around, with young talents such as Carter Bryant and No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 draft Dylan Harper easily expendable, with reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle not entirely off the table either.

But in order to add another superstar to the roster, they would be unable to avoid gutting this depth, which is always a high-risk, high-reward scenario.

Nonetheless, should they win the Giannis sweepstakes, it could well spell the end of the rest of the NBA, although the stronghold reigning champions Oklahoma City Thunder would have something to say about that amid a potential new rivalry for the ages.

Los Angeles Lakers

Whilst the Los Angeles Lakers only had to give up an injury-prone and past-his-prime Anthony Davis, role player Max Christie and a future first-round draft pick to land Luka Doncic in a blockbuster deal that stunned the NBA, it would cost a lot more to acquire Antetokounmpo.

This is because the Bucks front office doesn’t have a figure like Nico Harrison making the decisions as the general manager, instead having former NBA Executive of the Year Jon Horst at the helm.

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The LakeShow certainly tick off Antetokounmpo’s box of wanting to play for a big market team, and with Doncic and LeBron James, as well as guard Austin Reaves playing the best basketball of his career, the Purple and Gold have propelled themselves into contention under head coach JJ Redick.

The caveat to them, though, is that they have far less to offer in a potential trade package than a team like the Spurs.

Los Angeles would likely having to include all three of their tradeable first-round picks and their three swaps, as well as some combination including Reaves and Rui Hachimura, who is enjoying a career year of his own.

Despite this, that hasn’t stopped former Laker and No. 1 overall pick Dwight Howard from trying to recruit Antetokounmpo in a series of pleading tweets on X.

“Giannis , Luka, And Bron ,” Howard posted online, before following it up hours later with, “Aye Giannis don’t go trying to play on that calf strain just take your time and get back right Lake Show need you!”

New York Knicks

As of Wednesday, the team from the Big Apple are still considered as the leading frontrunners to land the two-time league MVP, but they are not the only team who have shown interest in acquiring his services.

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Playing for one of the most marketable franchises in all of basketball, alongside the Villanova Wildcats trio of Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart appears to be the most logical move for Antetokounmpo, though.

With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder’s case to repeat as champions looking very strong, with them currently on course to beat the record set by Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors‘s 73-9 win record set back in 2016, staying in the East seems to give him the best chance of competing for his second title.

With last season’s NBA Eastern Conference finalists Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers struggling for wins due to Achilles injuries to Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton, it is the Detroit Pistons making the early running with the Toronto Raptors (15-7) narrowly behind.

With there being no out-and-out front runner to be the East’s Finals representative and the top nine teams in the standings being separated by just five games, playing for a Knicks team that has gone deep in the playoffs in each of the last three postseasons ticks yet another one of Antetokounmpo’s boxes.

Furthermore, staying on the East Coast and being in New York is also a much quicker flight to Greece, where he and his family split their time – giving the 6-foot-11 power forward/center all the more reason to want to force his way to Madison Square Garden.

Whether the Knicks can offer up a lucrative-enough package – that may or may not be centered around a leaner Karl-Anthony Towns or OG Anunoby – that would see the Bucks fulfil their greatest ever player’s wishes, though, remains to be seen.

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