Giannis Antetokounmpo doesn't want to be traded to the Portland Trail Blazers. But the silver lining is that the Blazers don't necessarily need to land Giannis themselves to come away as the biggest winners of any potential blockbuster deal.
Portland has expressed interest in acquiring Giannis, but it's always been clear that its most likely role to play in the sweepstakes is that of a facilitator.
They have control over the Bucks' draft from 2028-30 as a result of the Damian Lillard deal. That gives the Blazers pivotal leverage over any other team in the league. It also gives general manager Joe Cronin tremendous flexibility with how he wants to approach the deadline. If Giannis does get traded by the Feb. 5, 3 p.m. ET deadline, Portland could easily sneak its way into any deal if they want to.
Blazers face a win-win scenario if Bucks trade Giannis
Ultimately, that could come down to where Giannis ultimately lands. A team like the Minnesota Timberwolves, which has rising star Jaden McDaniels, could be appealing to Portland. But if it's a team like the Golden State Warriors or the Miami Heat, it could be in their best interest to do nothing.
Golden State has an overrated young core headlined by Jonathan Kuminga, a player who has lost the trust of Steve Kerr. Meanwhile, the Blazers previously decided they didn't like what Miami had to offer when they were rebuilding after Lillard in 2023. And in retrospect, taking the Bucks package over the Heat's offer looks like a genius decision on Cronin's part.
Those picks are only going to increase in value if Giannis is out of the picture. Sure, the Bucks wouldn't have as much incentive to tank if they didn't have control over their own draft. But they also don't really have much choice, since they have limited avenues to upgrade this roster. They already went all-in on convincing Giannis to stay.
Although landing the Bucks superstar is nothing more than a pipe dream at this point, Portland should still hope a trade materializes. They would face a win-win scenario at that point. Either sell high on the increased value of those picks and land a legitimate piece to add to a promising young core, or stand pat and cash in those picks when they actually convey during the draft.
If the Blazers take the former route, it's essential that they be highly selective about whom they trade those picks for. We just saw Jaren Jackson Jr. go to the Utah Jazz for three first-round picks, so Mikal Bridges isn't going to get the job done.
Fortunately for Portland, this is where Cronin shines, as he has a reputation for being a firm negotiator. That's how they're even in this position in the first place.