When healthy, Giannis is a consistent, nightly 26 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists. Tattoed into every boxscore.
Theoritcally, every single NBA franchise should at least sit down and consider acquiring the Top 5 NBA superstar who very much wants to play in a new city.
Let’s go through every single team and determine whether or not they should trade for Giannis.
AND, let’s also try to figure out why (or why not) Giannis would even want to be traded to all of these teams.
Here’s why each NBA team should (or should not) trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo:
Denver Nuggets
Why they should trade for him: Nikola Jokic, miracle ball, turning water into wine, his teammates spilling that wine all over themselves. For the first time as an MVP candidate, Jokic finally played with a third-team All-NBA player, but Jamal Murray, like everyone else, disappeared against the Timberwolves 3rd stringers. Get Jokic a real Hall of Famer to play alongside.
Why he should want to be traded here: in recent years, especially this season without a real point guard, Giannis scoring 20 is laborious, roofing on a 90-degree summer day, Who am I? 24601 Les Mis misery. Nikola Jokic opens up, like, 15 easy points a game for Giannis.
Portland Trailblazers
Why they should trade for him: Okay, what if you take everything Deni Avdija did last season, and replace it with Giannis Antetokounmpo? Portland might’ve beaten the Spurs in the first round.
Why he should want to be traded here: Let’s jun run through a quick stat I dug up deep in the crates to find that Giannis may want to review before making any big decisions. Ready?
Championships won with Jrue Holiday: 1
Championships won without Jrue Holiday: 0
Giannis should move to Portland yesterday.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Why they should trade for him: The Oklahoma City Thunder own the 12th, 17th and 37th pick in this draft.
They cannot continue hoarding all these talented young players.
They literally cannot afford to.
Isaiah Hartenstein, Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins—some of these guys will need to change zip codes just because they can no longer afford to sign their paychecks.
OKC can solve that dilemma in one phone call.
Here are some expensive expiring contracts and a bunch of picks. Everybody eats.
Why he should want to be traded here: I’ve watched the Thunder collapse in agony, wallowing in pain on the hardwood, the broadcast instant replay showing them pretending to be injured during a box out they lost, and then jog back on the other end of the floor and chokeslam a guy going up for a layup. No call.
This is the perfect environment for this new, incredibly weird and smarmy Giannis.
He can fake smile after wins with the boys, the fans will love him unconditionally, and he can sit in on Kalshi Zoom meetings as Trump Jr. informs the board which foreign leader his dad plans on kidnapping next, so they can all make a quick buck while a nation destabilizes.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Why they should trade for him: Anthony Edwards will not lose to SGA, Wemby and Luka every year. Nothing about him screams “lifelong Minnesotan.” Let’s go. Get Julius Randle the fuck out of here. Let’s be serious.
Why he should want to be traded here: At 31 years old and his season spoiled by injuries and insider trading, Giannis needs to focus on longevity now. Who better to help him find some “supplies” than MLB legend and new Minnesota Timberwolves owner, Alex Rodriguez? You know A-Rod has a cell phone full of drug plugs, Giannis’s new HGH connect is waiting for his call as you read this.
Utah Jazz
Why they should trade for him: They shouldn’t. Giannis won’t sign an extension here. Unless of course, the organization can groom him into one of the local cults Latter Day Saints churches. He seems like an impressionable guy. A “prophet” could trick his ass. Jon Horst did.
Why he should want to be traded here: He shouldn’t. It’s Utah.
Phoenix Suns
Why they should trade for him: Suns owner Mat Ishbia is operating out of Bill Simmons spite. “The Jerk Store called and they’re running out of you” vibes from the CEO. This Giannis trade could help him shut up that podcaster he just can’t one-up.
Why he should want to be traded here: He shouldn’t. #IBelieveKevinDurant. (Please don’t hit me, Devin, sir)
Sacramento Kings
Why they should trade for him: They shouldn’t. The grind. Get that chip out the mud. DeMar, Domantas and Zach vs. Everyone.
Why he should want to be traded here: The grind. Y’all can chase titles teaming up with other stars or seek comfort in earning a ton of money for no reason but Giannis can take his talents to Greta’s city and flip that whole organization around.
Los Angeles Clippers
Why they should trade for him: Steve Ballmer finished his life’s work, the Intuit Dome—and he’s not about to let the salary cap or Pablo Torre stop him from filling that building.
Why would Steve Ballmer want to go through a slow rebuild—that may not even work—when he could instead just add Giannis with Kawhi and lock up the 4 seed in the West next year?
Why he should want to be traded here: I know Giannis said he wants to be on the East coast and play in the Eastern Conference and blah blah. He wants to play in New York or Miami.
We get it.
But he’d obviously fucking love living in Los Angeles, too.
There’s homeless and Scooby Doo ghosts haunting the city and everything Fox News says about the place but Giannis is incredibly rich and famous.
He’d have a fun time in LA, man.
Golden State Warriors
Why they should trade for him: Steve Kerr didn’t come back to finish 8 games below .500 again.
This whole thing, where Brandin Podziemskiruns around the court and a bunch of fellow G-Leaguers run wide receiver routes sideline-to-sideline, is wack.
Steve Kerr and Steph Curry could squeeze one more championship out of their old bones, but they need the Giannis nuke.
Why he should want to be traded here: Giannis’s financial portfolio could use more tech evil investments. Prediction markets to AI to drones that explode Ukrainians, Giannis could move to the land of opportunity.
Los Angeles Lakers
Why they should trade for him: Are we the Los Angeles Lakers or the Los Angeles Losers?
Where are the championships? Finals appearances?
Sign-and-trade Austin Reaves for a star. Enough of this little league shit.
Luka Doncic and LeBron James are on the team.
Why is Jake LaRavia even here?
Victor Wembayama and Shai-Gilgeous Alexander aren’t going anywhere.
Anthony Edwards and Nikola Jokic are annual MVP candidates.
Where is the sense of urgency?
What if Giannis ends up in Houston?
GET JAXSON HAYES THE FUCK OUT OF HERE.
Why he should want to be traded here: Everything I said about LA.
But also, this could screw Milwaukee. Los Angeles has nothing valuable to offer them.
Even if they include LeBron.
If Giannis demands a trade to the Lakers, only promising to sign an extension with the purple and gold, Milwaukee would be left in shambles
Houston Rockets
Why they should trade for him: If the plan is to lose in the first round every season, then blaming “matchups” or injuries to one of the oldest player in the NBA, then Houston is actually poised for another successful season. But instead of waiting and hoping Amen Thompson transforms into something similar to Giannis, what if they just traded for Giannis?
Why he should want to be traded here: For the first time in his career, Giannis teams up with a Hall of Famer everyone hates. If Houston wins, Giannis is the hero. If Houston loses, Kevin Durant is at fault.
New Orleans Pelicans
Why they should trade for him: They shouldn’t. New Orleans has some weird plan. We’ll see what Derik Queen and Jeremaih Fears evolve into and what draft assets they can collect when they inevitably trade Dejounte Murray, Trey Murphy and Herb Jones. The Pelicans championship window doesn’t open up until like, 2030. They’re in the VJ Edgecomb sweepstakes. Giannis does nothing for them.
Why he should want to be traded here: He shouldn’t. Ew.
Dallas Mavericks
Why they should trade for him: This is the cheapest Cooper Flagg’s contract will ever be in his career. Kyrie Irving is still here, if you recall. Let’s just finish the Nico Harrison project but replace Anthony Davis for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Why he should want to be traded here: Miriam Adelson could get Giannis some nice waterfront property in the Gaza Strip, right next to the gaudy, gold-spray-painted Trump hotel and the new Dallas Mavericks training facility.
Memphis Grizzlies
Why they should trade for him: I don’t know who’s rushing to spend their paychecks on Memphis Grizzlies game next season, especially with Ja Morant on the trade block and injury report every night.
Why he should want to be traded here: Maybe Giannis will be the franchise superstar for the new Nashville team when the Trump Administration, in their final gasp of power, demands the Grizzlies move from “scary” Memphis to “thriving” Nashville, our ears ringing from the volume of the dog whistles.
San Antonio Spurs
Why they should trade for him: De’Aaron Fox has failed the test this postseason, shooting 43% from the field, 29.9% from 3, limping through the Western Conference Finals. Wemby needs a reliable tag team partner to beat the Thunder and Fox has the perfect contract to allow that, via trade.
Why he should want to be traded here: Giannis and Wemby have global domination potential. Actually, as a society, we must stop this from occuring. #VoteBlue. Wait in line, no matter what.
Orlando Magic
Why they should trade for him: 2025-2026 was alarming for Paolo Banchero. This is not a first or even second option. Like the Orlando All-Star before him, Banchero needs to stand in the corner like Aaron Gordon.
Why he should want to be traded here: Orlando’s new head coach, Sean Sweeney, was instrumental in the development of Giannis into the MVP we know today.
Perhaps Giannis has some deep relationship with Sweeney and wants to reunite with his secret favorite coach.
It probably helps he just wasted a year and a half listening to Doc Rivers bragging about all the things he did in the Obama Era.
Charlotte Hornets
Why they should trade for him: If you think Brandon Miller can be Charlotte’s 4th quarter scorer, good for you. I’m not there with it. Charlotte had a taste of meaningful basketball in the play-in and were blown out of the building. That slow development is cool and everything but it’s also cool grabbing All-NBA superstars and just winning now when you have the chance.
Why he should want to be traded here: The Hornets are better than the Milwaukee Bucks and will be for the foreseeable future.
Washington Wizards
Subscribe to my newsletter. I’m not pretending that Giannis should be on the fucking Wizards. I’m using this as an opportunity to self-promote.
Miami Heat
Why they should trade for him: We’re done with this middling bullshit, right? Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo are not good enough to even qualify in an Eastern Conference, I keep hearing is awful. I thought the Heat acquired Andrew Wiggins to package his contract for a superstar. Wiggins has just been on the team for a year and a half. The Miami Heat are not running like a serious organization. Stop trying to make Nikola Jovic happen.
Why he should want to be traded here: Miami is the capitol for scammers with unidentifiable accents. Giannis worked his whole life to being shirtless on a Miami yacht, still docked, blasting Flo Rida, cocaine off all colors spilling below deck.
Atlanta Hawks
Why they should trade for him: They shouldn’t. Every day, the Atlanta Hawks should be calling Minnesota, offering everything they have to free Anthony Edwards, return him home to the ATL, where he belongs.
Why he should want to be traded here: I get the feeling Giannis hasn’t experienced the total back experience in Greece and Wisconsin. We need Giannis’s at brunches blasting Future
Cleveland Cavaliers
Why they should trade for him: 2025 was one of the greatest seasons in franchise history. Lost in the second round. 2026, Boston and Indiana gone, they finally make the Eastern Conference Finals and get bludgeoned by the Knicks team currently in the midst of the most dominant stretch of basketball in NBA history. There is no way for this team to improve. Evan Mobley isn’t suddenly becoming a ball-demanding superstar averaging 25, not in Cleveland anyway. They need Giannis.
Why he should want to be traded here: He shoudn’t. Teaming up with James Harden to win a championship is like going on American Idol expecting to become a music star once the cameras turn off. Giannis’s season have ended in embarrassing ways already. He doesn’t need Harden sweating, freaking out in an elimination game next to him.
Detroit Pistons
Why they should trade for him: The Pistons got Drummond’ed again. I need to see Jalen Duren tying his shoes before I make any assumptions of his mental fortitude. Like, is he humming a little song in his head he ties his laces to or nah? Is he bouncing his head back and forth as he remembers the shoe-tying song?
Why he should want to be traded here: Detroit is an up and coming city. He can buy low and stuff his financial portfolia with some real estate investments. His slum lord era is inevitable. Might as well destroy Detroit.
Indiana Pacers
Why they should trade for him: The Pacers without Tyrese Haliburton was one of the worst teams in the NBA. I don’t think Tyrese off the achilles tear, the shingles and over a year away from the sport, will magically launch Indiana back to the NBA Finals. The Knicks are better. The Pistons are better and will get better. The Pacers can’t let Giannis land in Miami to create a new threat.
Why he should want to be traded here: This would be like Kevin Durant joining the Golden State Warriors in 2016 but the local, midwest version. The Indiana Pacers have styled on the Bucks in the playoffs. The rivalry got so heated, Tyrese Haliburton’s dad got banned from attending games after he tried to fight Giannis after a playoff game. Giannis is a messy bitch who lives for drama, aka a bored wealthyman looking for excitement and attention. Joining the Indiana Pacers and stomping out the Knicks, the team he really wanted to play for but chose Karl-Anthony over him, this is all Giannis’s dream.
Chicago Bulls
Why they should trade for him: So the Chicago Bulls use the no. 4 pick to select Cam Boozer, giving the organization a decade of, at best, Carlos Boozer, and at worst, Marvin Bagley/Jahlil Okafor hybrid, dogshit.
OR,
They trade for Giannis and start winning some games, Giddey and Giannis the freak brothers, traveling the country together.
Why he should want to be traded here: It’s a few quick, easy U-Haul trips to Chicago from Milwaukee.
Brooklyn Nets
Why they should trade for him: No players on the Brooklyn Nets would get minutes on the Oklahoma City Thunder right now.
Nic Claxton is sitting next to Bismack Biyambo and Mason Plumlee, whispering tips in Wemby’s ears that he’s ignoring/forgetting immediately.
New Jersey politicians are lowkey trying to get the team back, ya know, instead of actually solving any real problems because the United States government has been gutted of its effectiveness by corporate interests, pedophiles, and that big empty ass building in the Meadowlands where the Nets used to play.
With Brooklyn set to pick 6th, narrowly missing the window for a franchise altering superstar, for the millioneth consecutive year, it’s time to push the chips in and fill the Barclays with folks excited to watch winning, productive basketbal games instead of these strange international scrimmages where a bunch of kids play like they’re all meeting for the first time, that afternoon, against teams competing for NBA champnioships. It’s depressing.
Why he should want to be traded here: Giannis wants to live in New York. The Knicks are in the Finals. They’re busy. Brooklyn is more Giannis’s speed anyway.
Boston Celtics
Why they should trade for him: It would behoove the Boston Celtics to just go ahead and assume Jayson Tatum limps often now. This season, Brad Stevens proved he can scour scrap yards for decent NBA rotation players. A hasty offseason Giannis trade does not prevent Stevens from filling the roster with guys that’ll get them to a 2 seed.
Why he should want to be traded here: Giannis cares a lot about what people think of Giannis. Nothing wrong with that. I do too and there’s only like 5,000 people reading me. If Giannis wants to avoid being washed away from history, he needs to staple himself to the Boston Celtics brand. Think of how many more Kalshi-esque partnerships land on his desk. JD Vance/Giannis 2028.
Philadelphia 76ers
Why they should trade for him: This may be the Sixers best chance to get off this disgusting Joel Embiid contract. Embiid is one of the highest-paid players in the NBA and can’t walk in a straight line without the assistance of a cane like Master Splinter.
Why he should want to be traded here: He shouldn’t. Sixers fans treat their players like they’re grocery store cashiers holding up the line on a busy Saturday morning.
Toronto Raptors
Why they should trade for him: I said it yesterday and I mean it, I want Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram to win a championship together. Everyone else is expendible. If the Knicks are the new
Why he should want to be traded here: He shouldn’t. Giannis’s whole origin story is that basketball saved his life, got him off the streets of Greece, and allowed him to make millions in America. He didn’t do all that to end up in Canada, especially when Donald Trump, on any given 2 am insomnia doomscroll, will just declare no one outside of the country is allowed back in.
New York Knicks
Why they should trade for him: They shouldn’t. They’re about to win a championship. Knicks in 4.
Why he should want to be traded here: Jalen Brunson is legend-building. He walked down the Atlanta Hawks in round 1. And now he just singlehandedly brought the Knicks back from a 22-point deficit with 7minutes left in the 4th quarter to win Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Giannis barely engaged in the idea that Damian Lillard should be the primary ballhandler, the two hardly interacting on the court for most of their time together. Giannis is not about to join the Knicks and stand in the dunker’s spot while Brunson takes over the 4th.
50 NBA Players Who Could Be on a New Team For The 2026-27 Season
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