The Orlando Magic are expected to aggressively pursue a trade for Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo this offseason, according to Kirk Goldsberry of The Ringer.
Milwaukee and Antetokounmpo will likely part ways this offseason and Orlando wants to acquire the future Hall of Famer.
“I actually heard there’s a mystery team,” Goldsberry said. “I called around as part of this exercise to see who were potentially desperate places for Giannis to land and somebody who knows stuff told me that Orlando has actually been very active in seeking out Giannis Antetokounmpo’s services.”
The Magic made a blockbuster trade last offseason, acquiring Desmond Bane from the Memphis Grizzlies. Orlando traded four unprotected first-round picks and one first-round pick swap to Memphis for Bane.
Bane, Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs and Wendell Carter Jr. are the leading players on the Magic. Orlando will likely have to part ways with one or two core players to acquire Antetokounmpo.
One of the greatest players of all time, Antetokounmpo has spent his entire NBA career with the Bucks. He’s a two-time MVP, one-time Finals MVP, one-time Defensive Player of the Year and 10-time All-Star. The forward is currently out with a left knee hyperextension.
A top 75 player of all time, Antetokounmpo is eligible to sign a four-year, $275 million extension with the Bucks on October 1. If he declines the extension, Antetokounmpo will be traded, per Milwaukee co-owner Wes Edens.
“Giannis is going into the last year [of his contract],” Edens told Ramona Shelburne of ESPN. “So one of two things will happen: Either he will be extended or he’ll be traded. The likelihood you’ll let him just kind of play out the last year, we can’t afford that. It’s not consistent with what’s good for the organization. That’s not a Giannis issue. That’s any player that’s in their last year.”
Antetokounmpo prefers playing for an East Coast team since the East Coast is closer to Greece, according to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, and Orlando is an East Coast city. Antetokounmpo’s wife and kids live in Greece.
It will be fascinating to see where Antetokounmpo is playing next season. He’s been linked to the Magic, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves.
Antetokounmpo holds career averages of 24.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.2 blocks per game. He’s been in the NBA since 2013.
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