NBA rumors: Blazers to be ‘prime’ Giannis Antetokounmpo trade suitor

The Portland Trail Blazers overachieved this season after advancing to the playoffs as the seventh seed with a 42-20 record, ending their four-year absence.

They beat the Phoenix Suns in the Play-In Tournament before running into the San Antonio Spurs in the first round, 4-1. Despite their exit, the Trail Blazers showed that they have the right pieces to compete.

The roster, however, could be broken up in the team’s pursuit of Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Bucks are willing to listen to trade offers for the two-time MVP, and Portland could try its luck, according to NBA insider Jake Fischer.

“When it comes to (Tom) Dundon’s first NBA offseason in charge, I’ve heard from multiple league sources that the Blazers are expected to emerge as a prime trade suitor for Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo,” wrote Fischer on Substack.

He mentioned that the Trail Blazers, who already sent feelers in February, might offer a trade package of Jerami Grant and future draft assets for Antetokounmpo, who played a career-low 30 games this season due to various injuries.

“The Blazers indeed still control Milwaukee’s first-round draft capital in 2028, 2029, and 2030 as stipulated by the Damian Lillard trade. Which is a reality that positioned Portland, then and now, to potentially benefit from an eventual Antetokounmpo deal as a facilitating team in a larger trade structure, perhaps profiting by Milwaukee’s presumed desire to try to reacquire one of those picks, added Fischer.

If Milwaukee asks for a better offer, it is not implausible to think that Portland might also be forced to let go of Shaedon Sharpe or Toumani Camara.

Landing Antetokounmpo would be a huge coup for the Trail Blazers. Imagine a starting five of Antetokounmpo, Deni Avdija, Donovan Clingan, Jrue Holiday, and Scoot Henderson.

Antetokounmpo already said he is uncertain of the Bucks’ desire to keep him, so landing on a new team in the summer is definitely on the table.

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