Warriors Have Been Preparing For Years To Pursue Giannis Antetokounmpo

[RealGM Wiretap]

The Golden State Warriors have been preparing for years to pursue Giannis Antetokounmpo, according to a source. The Warriors similarly planned for multiple years to pursue Kevin Durant as a free agent in 2016.

Antetokounmpo can sign a supermax extension with the Bucks in 2020, or opt for free agency in 2021.

League sources also believe Antetokounmpo would want to leave the Bucks if he loses confidence in the franchise's capacity to win championships. The Bucks had the NBA's best record when the season was suspended in March.

The Warriors' best chance of acquiring Antetokounmpo would likely come through a trade. 

ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne said on “The Jump” in September that Golden State has “always been the big threat” to the Bucks in the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes.

Via Connor Letourneau/San Francisco Chronicle

[Pickled Prunes]

I train everyday so that I'm ready when I get the call from NASA. I'm going to the moon, baby!

[bqmuzik]

Media trying to speak **** into existence again. They did this to AD. Pelicans were 4-0 to start the season and came off a first round upset over Portland and all of a sudden they start with this "AD needs to demand a trade to the Lakers, he's wasting his career". Eventually all the chess pieces moved.

Bucks were the best team last year and lost ONE playoff round. This year, best record and they are trying to play into this scenario where he needs to leave to win a title like Milwaukee has failed him or something. A lot of stars say a lot of ****, but he genuinely seems to want to win in Milwaukee. I think he has a lot more Kawhi in his train of thought than he does LeBron or Durant.

[njknicks]

Why would Giannis even want to consider joining the Warriors trio of Klay / Draymond / Steph after what transpired with Durant?

Hoping that Giannis makes his own legacy and not follow in the footsteps of others.

[Not2BeBothered]

Media trying to speak **** into existence again. They did this to AD. Pelicans were 4-0 to start the season and came off a first round upset over Portland and all of a sudden they start with this "AD needs to demand a trade to the Lakers, he's wasting his career". Eventually all the chess pieces moved.

Bucks were the best team last year and lost ONE playoff round. This year, best record and they are trying to play into this scenario where he needs to leave to win a title like Milwaukee has failed him or something. A lot of stars say a lot of ****, but he genuinely seems to want to win in Milwaukee. I think he has a lot more Kawhi in his train of thought than he does LeBron or Durant.

Usually it only takes ONE playoff round to get eliminated

[CHAMPi0N]

They've been "preparing" like every other team since Durant left.

[Darthlukey]

Media trying to speak **** into existence again. They did this to AD. Pelicans were 4-0 to start the season and came off a first round upset over Portland and all of a sudden they start with this "AD needs to demand a trade to the Lakers, he's wasting his career". Eventually all the chess pieces moved.

Bucks were the best team last year and lost ONE playoff round. This year, best record and they are trying to play into this scenario where he needs to leave to win a title like Milwaukee has failed him or something. A lot of stars say a lot of ****, but he genuinely seems to want to win in Milwaukee. I think he has a lot more Kawhi in his train of thought than he does LeBron or Durant.

Usually it only takes ONE playoff round to get eliminated

Lol, astute observation

[popfan]

The problem with the Warriors pursuing Giannis is that he isn't a member of the US men's basketball team like DeMarcus Cousins and KD. Meanwhile the Warriors core 3 are in the waning years of their prime, having been top-dog for ~5 years. Why would Giannis waste his prime years on the waning Warriors? This is a yawn article.

[donkeylips]

Every team should be preparing.

[Mwd1981]

Giannis isn’t KD who can play with anyone. He needs shooting around him. Warriors would make a lot of sense.

[We Are Groot]

poor Steph - the Dubs are looking for ANOTHER guy that they're gonna want him to defer to. he missed out on his best shot at a Finals MVP in '15. He finally gets his team back last year (altho it took Durant leaving), and he breaks his hand in the early going.

i like the fit but see Dray as being a potential problem. to the Dubs credit, they have him on a very team-friendly deal. i wld think it wld hafta be him or Wiggins headed out, along with draft compensation, if they were to do a S&T with Milwaukee ... personally, i don't kno their assets are appealing enough to entice Milwaukee. without Giannis demanding a trade specifically to GS a deal seems unlikely to me ... not matter how well they prepared

[Elnegron]

Would rather play with bam, herro and Robison age average 22 yo that old brittle klay, curry and lousy green

[objectivefan]

"Max money Mr. Tripple Single Draymond" will release a statement saying that they don't need him. Draymond will say that Giannis won't be accepted unless he is willing to come off the bench in garbage time.

[mulamutti]

I dont think Giannis is the guy to join super teams. I seem him more as a "I want to win against the best, not join the best" kinda guy. I think he literally said that once. He said he doesnt workout with opponents in the off season and he said "i don't buddy-buddy with my opponents".
After these players see the last dance, I think the mentality will change a bit. They see the respect garnered by the killer mentality and the championships that yields, vs Durant's buddy-buddy championships. They are not worth the same. I'm sorry but those durant-warriors championships will always be an asterisk in my book, and to a much lesser extent lebron-wade-bosh. Superstars and stars should not collude to play together. Even AD forcing to go to the lakers, and PG and Kawhi forcing to go to the clippers are weak moves IMO. If Giannis wants ultimate respect, he wins in Milwaukee. Even though I want him to come to Toronto.

[dickfox]

If you aren't preparing to pursue Giannis, then you aren't doing your job as a GM.

[Barcs]

If that happens I'm going to be sick. Watch them get the #1 overall pick and Giannis. It's just not fair.

[Id420]

He'd be a fool to join that team.

[delsol650]

hmmmm. The lakers have been doing this for ages, taking young stars or disgruntled stars from their original teams as they schemed to get them since those players have stepped into the league. Same as teams like the Yankees, Redsox etc....

This happens in soccer also, but when a team like the Warrior's scheme to do the same it's automatically frowned upon or considered bad... LOL at the hypocrisy Nothing but haters of fans of teams the dubs trashed during their 5-year unprecedented run. Those same haters are fearful that if the dubs did net the greek freak they would resume that rough-shod they did to the league for another 5 years.

[mulamutti]

hmmmm. The lakers have been doing this for ages, taking young stars or disgruntled stars from their original teams as they schemed to get them since those players have stepped into the league. Same as teams like the Yankees, Redsox etc....

This happens in soccer also, but when a team like the Warrior's scheme to do the same it's automatically frowned upon or considered bad... LOL at the hypocrisy Nothing but haters of fans of teams the dubs trashed during their 5-year unprecedented run. Those same haters are fearful that if the dubs did net the greek freak they would resume that rough-shod they did to the league for another 5 years.

What is the word hater mean anyway? Does it mean that you say anything negative whatsoever? I personally don't rank the Dubs championships (with Durant) that high. They lucked out because of the weird cap increase due to television contracts, and the fact that Durant literally left his team to go to his arch rival he couldn't beat. If malone left utah to go to the bulls, I would say the same thing. I don't see how you rank the Durant championships, the same as the original dubs championship. The original Dubs built the team from the ground up, drafted well, scouted well and developed well, and had a super team. That was legit. The Durant-Warrior years were the most boring years in NBA competition in a long long time, and I don't see why calling that out is being a 'hater' whatever that means. Its the same when yankees just go buy championships. It isn't as fun as true parity, but the league is always going to favor media ratings and money than true parity. I enjoy when Detroit, the Spurs or the raptors win championships against all the odds stacked up against them. Giannis should win in Milwaukee. Going to the Warriors makes the NBA suck again. Im glad durant left to brooklyn.

[circa70]

They've been "preparing" like every other team since Durant left.

I also remember them preparing for AD a few years back. womp womp