The Portland Trail Blazers have "serious interest" in acquiring Giannis Antetokounmpo, NBA insider Chris Haynes reported on the "Deals and Dunks" show on SiriusXM NBA Radio.
“I've heard Portland has serious interest to get a deal done to acquire Giannis," Haynes said. "To potentially bring back the pairing of Dame and Giannis…I'm told Portland has serious interest and they are investigating behind the scenes and trying to see what would make sense.”
The Milwaukee Bucks are hoping to decide on Giannis' future by the 2026 NBA Draft on June 23. They are seeking a combination of young assets and draft capital in return, signaling that they will embrace a full-scale rebuild should they move on from their superstar. That's crucial for Portland's chances of winning the Giannis sweepstakes, as they control Milwaukee's draft picks from 2028-30 as a result of the Damian Lillard trade.
The NBA's new draft lottery reform likely doesn't make it quite as important for Milwaukee to recoup its draft picks. Still, that doesn't change the fact that Portland can piece together arguably the most enticing package in the league, headlined by those picks.
Blazers need Giannis Antetokounmpo to commit
For Portland, the bigger issue lies in whether Giannis is willing to come to the beautiful Pacific Northwest. He's expected to want to stay in the Eastern Conference, primarily due to the easier path to the Finals. That makes Portland nothing more than a dark horse, as they shouldn't be willing to sacrifice the assets required to land Giannis if they can't get a long-term commitment.
Giannis has a $62.8 million player option in 2027-28, meaning Portland would be taking on quite the risk for what could turn out to be just a one-year rental. The good news, however, is that Haynes adds that Giannis would at least consider reuniting with his former teammates in Rip City.
"I believe that if Portland made a really serious offer, Giannis would at least consider it. It wouldn't be a situation where he would simply say 'no, throw it out.'"
That's more encouraging than what was previously believed to be Giannis' stance on coming to Portland. When the Giannis trade talks picked up at February's trade deadline, the Blazers seemed essentially out of the running, as he had no desire to come here.
Portland could contend with Giannis
The Giannis-Dame pairing in Milwaukee didn't quite go to plan, resulting in two underwhelming first-round playoff exits. But how much was that a result of injuries, questionable coaching, and the lackluster supporting cast in Milwaukee?
Things could be different in Portland. A Damian Lillard, Jrue Holiday, Deni Avdija, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Donovan Clingan would give the Blazers at least a puncher's chance at that Finals run Antetokounmpo covets.
They'd likely be considered one tier below the likes of the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs, as they'd finally have the star power required to make that deep playoff push. The starting unit would have a good balance on both sides of the ball, while Portland's blend of youth and veterans would give them enough depth to work with after the trade.
If the Blazers have a successful season, it could be compelling enough of a case for Giannis to stay, even if Portland isn't his preferred landing spot as of now.
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