Getty Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry high-fives Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks.
During a recent live stream on Instagram, Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo reacted to a comment, which asked him to come join the Golden State Warriors.
“Bro, please come to the Warriors,” Antetokounmpo read off of his screen. “Somebody said ‘please come to the Warriors,’ he repeated.
The Bucks star started to smile, laugh, then repeatedly said “hey” shaking his head back-and-forth in a weird “don’t rule anything out” sort of way.
Giannis’s reaction when a fan asked him to join the Warriors 😳👀
A clip of Antetokounmpo’s reaction started to make its way around the internet, prompting Warriors fans to grasp onto a slim possibility of landing the Greek Freak.
However, all of the fun was squashed when the back end of the interaction surfaced on Twitter.
“Nah, nah,” he continued. “I’m not that kind of guy.”
Even if by some stretch of the imagination, Antetokounmpo desperately wanted to be a Warrior, the Bucks still have him under contract for at least two more seasons, with the 2025-26 season being a player-option.
In that case, the Dubs would have to find a way to, not only impress Milwaukee, but also match the 28-year-old’s $45 million salary in any potential trade.
In the dreamland that would see the two-time MVP winner suit up in Warriors blue and gold, he could be a tremendous fit with their championship core. Just imagine a 7-foot version of Draymond Green, setting screens, making great passes, and playing stifling defense.
Okay, now wake up. Antetokounmpo is not headed to Golden State anytime soon.
Mock Trade Nets Warriors O.G. Anunoby
While the Warriors just don’t have the pieces to make any sort of move for Antetokounmpo (no one does, don’t feel bad), they are well equipped to bring in help another way.
Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley proposed a trade, as part of an article published on May 18, that would land Golden State O.G. Anunoby of the Toronto Raptors.
Warriors Receive: O.G. Anunoby and Chris Boucher
Raptors Receive: Jordan Poole and Jonathan Kuminga
Anunoby’s defense would be a welcome sight, after the Warriors had to rely on Moses Moody to defend LeBron James at certain points of their series against the Los Angeles Lakers.
“In both of Golden State’s playoff series, its lack of length and athleticism on the wings was glaring,” Buckely wrote. “The Warriors could address both voids and shore up their suddenly leaky defense (14th in efficiency, down from second, per NBA.com) by making a major move for O.G. Anunoby. If he isn’t the best on-ball defender in the Association, he’s at least in the conversation. He has enough length to bother bigs and enough quickness to keep in front of guards. He could handle Golden State’s toughest defensive assignment more often than not.”
Jonathan Kuminga May Ask Warriors for Trade
A trade involving Kuminga could very well be on the horizon for the Warriors this summer. According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania and Anthony Slater, his representatives are expected to meet with the organization to discuss his future with the team.
“The Warriors and Kuminga’s representatives are expected to discuss his future this offseason, league sources say,” Slater and Charania wrote. “Golden State will need to decide whether Kuminga will receive a full-time role moving forward and, if not, league sources say the No. 7 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft will want to be somewhere he can play more.”
Steve Kerr, the man in charge of Kuminga’s playing time, or lack thereof, discussed the report with 95.7 The Game’s “Willard & Dibbs.”
“I think he’s frustrated that he didn’t play but I would hope anybody in his situation would be frustrated,” Kerr told the hosts on Tuesday. “We had a great conversation with Bob Myers & we’re excited about JK coming back next year. I think he’s excited to be coming back.”