A resolution regarding Giannis Antetokounmpo will likely happen sooner rather than later, with the Milwaukee Bucks organization hoping to decide on the superstar's future before the draft.
Should Milwaukee trade the Greek Freak, they'll want to initiate a rebuild, ideally a full-on roster teardown. That gives the Portland Trail Blazers leverage in the sweepstakes, as they control their draft picks from 2028-30 thanks to the Damian Lillard deal.
Portland has expressed interest in directly trading for Giannis, which would be quite the splash for new owner Tom Dundon. The Blazers have a strong case as a team capable of offering Milwaukee the best package in the entire league, making them a dark horse.
They are also in a good position, with underrated depth and a blend of youth and veterans. The dilemma many teams face in trading for Giannis is that it would require blowing up their roster to the point where they'd no longer be contenders without complementary pieces for their new superstar -- leaving Giannis in a similar situation he's trying to escape in Milwaukee.
Blazers' best path to a star runs through facilitating a Giannis trade
But as Zach Lowe recently noted, the likelihood of Portland acquiring Giannis remains slim, as he doesn't want to come here.
"I don't think Giannis is going to Portland," Lowe said on The Zach Lowe Show. "The more I think about it, I like my three-team trade idea of Jaylen Brown to Portland, Giannis to Boston, pick galore, and other stuff to the Bucks. But I don't know if the Celtics really have an appetite to break up the Js."
Despite the former teammate connections in Damian Lillard and Jrue Holiday, as well as the strong supporting cast that would be surrounding him, Giannis may not be convinced the Blazers' roster has enough to contend. He is rumored to want to go to a true contender, preferably staying in the Eastern Conference, which continually has the significantly easier path to the Finals.
That said, the fact that the Blazers have the Bucks' draft picks puts them in a prime position to come away with a star of their own, should they embrace the role of a facilitator. Jaylen Brown would solve a lot of Portland's problems, raising their ceiling as a co-star alongside Deni Avdija. But as Lowe notes, the Blazers may be forced to continue their star search elsewhere if the Celtics aren't willing to break up a star duo that has already proven capable of winning at the highest level.
So Portland does have leverage, but maybe not as much as they hope. The key leverage comes down to where Giannis wants to go, as teams aren't going to sacrifice all their assets if they can't get a long-term commitment.
We don't know where that will be. It could be New York, Miami, or another spot entirely. Unfortunately, it looks like it won't be Portland. Now, their role shifts to exploring trades for that secondary star from wherever Giannis winds up.
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