Before I begin, I want to emphasize that every trade carries risks for any team because there's no guarantee it will work out, even if the odds seem to favor your side.
That said, everyone is probably well aware of the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors swirling around. In fact, I already mentioned the Raptors' involvement in those discussions for a recent article. The fast-paced NBA world keeps buzzing with talk, and the Raptors have been further linked as a possible destination for the "Greek Freak."
Since everyone is clamoring for this desirable outcome, I decided to go ahead and craft some trade scenarios using Fanspo's trade machine.
All biases aside, Toronto genuinely feels like a franchise where Antetokounmpo could thrive. He achieved incredible success with Milwaukee, a team often overlooked itself, and the strong Greek community in Toronto would likely welcome him warmly.
Additionally, the team he would be joining—assuming Toronto doesn't have to give up too much—appears poised to contend. As I mentioned, the Eastern Conference is set to be wide open due to injuries and regression, creating a prime window for the Raptors.
Getting this off my chest, let's dive into the potential Giannis Antetokounmpo trade packages I’ve put together — comparing a classic Masai Ujiri-style heist move versus the Raptors going all-in with a high-cost offer.
Offer #1: The "low-cost" move
I’m presenting the first offer, which I consider to be a low-cost package for what Toronto would receive in return. At first glance, it might seem like a lot, but once I explain the motivations and potential upside, it becomes quite clear why this makes sense.
I would say that any trade for Giannis involving the Raptors that leaves out their three core complimentary stars—Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, and Brandon Ingram—is a no-brainer. You can almost guarantee Ingram will stay, as Toronto brought him in to help build this new winning era. Trading him without even playing a game seems highly unlikely.
I'm more concerned about Barnes and Quickley, especially Scottie B., whom I can see the Bucks being highly interested in as a potential Giannis replacement. However, if Toronto trades away their emerging young forward, is a Giannis and Ingram duo enough to make a championship run? I believe the main reason for rerouting Giannis to Toronto is also the chemistry and aura that would come from pairing him with Barnes.
Instead, the proposed player package includes RJ Barrett, Jakob Poeltl, and Gradey Dick. I’ve considered Barrett’s perceived expendability in Toronto, given the logjam at the forward positions heading into next season. While I was pleased to see growth and development from Barrett this past year, he appears to be the centerpiece of this deal, especially in terms of salary considerations.
Jakob Poeltl, the big guy, would need to be included to match salaries, which would undoubtedly be a significant loss for Toronto — especially considering how impactful the 29-year-old Austrian veteran was in his best season to date. While it would be disappointing to lose him, if the Raptors are indeed targeting a big in the draft or exploring the open market for a suitable replacement (even if not an exact one), I'm confident Toronto can manage the center position without much trouble.
Gradey Dick rounds out the deal as an upside asset to add to the offer. While his inconsistent year might reduce Milwaukee's interest, he's still very young and far from reaching his full potential at the pro level. On the downside for Toronto, they lose a key shooter, but that’s where sniper AJ Green comes in — the 25-year-old averaged 42.7% from three-point range last season.
Toronto would need to enhance this offer by including draft capital, likely two to three picks. However, I feel they should try to hold onto this year's and next year's picks, as those players could serve as valuable rotation pieces on affordable deals to help manage the growing salary cap.
Offer #2: The "high-risk" or "all-in" move
Next, I present the offer that gives me a bit of the jitters, as it risks compromising a significant part of Toronto's young identity built in recent years. However, as we've seen in the competitive and ever-changing landscape of NBA business, sometimes those daring swing-for-the-fences moves are the ones that pay off the most; and of course, sometimes they don't.
Building on my previous point, any trade for Antetokounmpo that doesn't include a key Raptors asset like Scottie Barnes is an absolute must and likely a win for Masai Ujiri. However, once Barnes becomes part of the trade discussions, the situation gets a bit more complicated among Raptors fans. I've also mentioned before that the Raptors' biggest leverage in a potential Giannis deal is whether Scottie Barnes would be the main trade piece.
Let's be honest, we're talking about Giannis Antetokounmpo—a top-five talent in the league. I highly doubt Milwaukee will be shopping their star for anything less than an attractive package. While it's possible that Milwaukee might lower their asking price and consider a deal like the one I mentioned earlier, fans should expect the team to put up a fight in trade negotiations to maximize their return.
That's likely why they would target Toronto's former Rookie of the Year in this offer, putting an end to the brief Scottie Barnes era. Also included in this costly deal from Toronto's side is Ochai Agbaji, the surprise player from this past year who emerged as one of the league's top 3-and-D wings.
Additionally, I predict that Milwaukee would probably focus on acquiring Ja'Kobe Walter, the young shooting guard they see as a valuable target, rather than Gradey Dick. This makes sense since the ex-Baylor wing proved to be a tough and energetic contributor during his rookie season.
But that's likely not all Toronto would need to include in the deal, as they’d probably have to add a few draft picks or pick swaps with Milwaukee to make it happen. This makes the trade a risky, but potentially win-now move that could position Toronto for another championship run.
With the pieces involved in this hypothetical deal, the Raptors' starting lineup would feature Immanuel Quickley, Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Jakob Poeltl. That's a very strong foundation, but it's evident that this starting five would face challenges with outside shooting, and clunky spacing would remain an issue moving forward. In the aftermath of such a deal, Toronto might look to flip Barrett for additional depth, perhaps targeting a specialist three-point scorer.