The Milwaukee Bucks want to resolve the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade saga before the 2026 NBA Draft. The timing aligns perfectly for the Portland Trail Blazers, who could go star hunting in their first offseason under Tom Dundon.
Portland has control over Milwaukee's draft from 2028-30 thanks to the Damian Lillard trade. That gives them leverage to either land Giannis directly or, more likely, facilitate a trade to land another key asset elsewhere.
ESPN's Bobby Marks published a piece covering what ten Giannis trade contenders can offer the Bucks. The Blazers were included in the list, but the entire group should apply to Portland given its unique situation. Here are the top star fits from Mark's list of teams that Portland should target.
7. Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets
Sengun's flaws were on full display during the Rockets' relatively disappointing season, which ended with a first-round playoff exit. He faces a similar dilemma to Domantas Sabonis. Offensively, Sengun is at his best playing the center spot. However, that leaves the Rockets vulnerable on defense, as they lack a true rim protector.
Sengun's poor spacing is a messy fit on the Blazers' roster, which desperately needs to add shooting this summer. It could be a buy-low opportunity as Sengun's value has arguably never been lower. But fit concerns prevent Sengun from being ranked higher.
6. Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks
The New York Knicks are considered one of the favorites in the Giannis sweepstakes. How aggressively they pursue the Bucks superstar could depend on how the postseason plays out, with the Knicks back in the Eastern Conference Finals.
While they could make it to the Finals by getting through the Cleveland Cavaliers, the beast awaiting them in the Western Conference is an entirely different animal. A short series against the San Antonio Spurs or Oklahoma City Thunder could signal to the Knicks that they still need to add more star power.
That gives Portland an opportunity to facilitate the deal, coming away with an underappreciated star in Karl-Anthony Towns. As one of the best shooting big men in league history, KAT would be a much better offensive fit than Sengun. His ability to play the four and five effectively would give Portland more lineup combinations, giving them less of a logjam with Donovan Clingan at center.
5. Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland's controversial James Harden trade deadline acquisition is paying off as they suddenly find themselves in the Eastern Conference Finals. The downside is that it gives the Cavaliers a closing window, as they have an increased sense of urgency to contend while Harden is still around. Trading an up-and-coming piece in Mobley to land more win-now help in Giannis would align with that new timeline.
Mobley, a former Defensive Player of the Year, would form a scary one-two punch alongside Clingan. The offensive fit prevents Mobley from being a top priority, but adding a two-way forward to the frontcourt would solve a lot of Portland's problems as they look to become an elite defensive squad.
4. Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
It remains to be seen whether the Boston Celtics would be willing to break up Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. Boston is in a strange spot, exceeding expectations as a team that turned their gap year into contender aspirations. How does that change after a disappointing early playoff exit?
It's possible Boston's front office is more inclined to make an aggressive move, even if it costs their former Finals MVP. The Blazers are searching for a co-star to pair with Deni Avdija, and Brown has already proven capable of winning in that role at the highest level.
3. Jaden McDaniels, Minnesota Timberwolves
The Wolves are a dark horse in the Giannis sweepstakes. While McDaniels may not have the household name of other stars on this list, he's quietly emerged as a two-way star in Minnesota.
McDaniels is the perfect fit for the Blazers, given how much their front office values length, athleticism, and defense. Minnesota should be intrigued by pairing Anthony Edwards with Giannis, giving them arguably the best duo in the league. If Portland can come away with McDaniels to add to their young core, it should be considered a major win.
2. Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors
Barnes continues to quietly climb his way up the player rankings. It wouldn't be surprising if Toronto made him off-limits in trade talks, especially since they face similar uncertainty about whether Giannis would commit there long-term. Still, the Raptors took a gamble on a rental in Kawhi Leonard, which paid off with a championship. Could Giannis be next?
It's hard to find a player worthy of sacrificing all of the Bucks' picks, as they are suddenly some of the most valuable assets in the league. Barnes would absolutely be worth it as one of the few two-way stars in the league. His elite defense and court vision would be a seamless fit in Portland, taking some of the playmaking burden off Avdija.
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks are seeking young assets and/or draft capital in exchange for Giannis. In other words, they are looking to embrace a rebuild in a potential post Giannis-era. The easiest way to achieve that is to get their picks back from Portland.
Meanwhile, the Blazers have already expressed interest in acquiring Giannis directly. In a perfect world, Portland wouldn't be the middleman; they'd win the sweepstakes outright. It comes down to whether Giannis will commit to staying in Portland long-term, and as of now, he's shown no indication of doing so. Until that happens, this remains a pipe dream as the Blazers' front office wisely won't sacrifice their entire future to risk a short-term move.
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