The Toronto Raptors have recently emerged as a trade candidate for Giannis Antetokounmpo, although adding him has been a project 12 years in the making.
Giannis Antetokounmpo will be the central figure in the NBA offseason, and every team is expected to show at least some interest in the superstar. The Toronto Raptors, earlier this week, emerged as possible frontrunners in the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes, surprising some.
After all, Toronto, with its young core, seems to be well on the way to ending its rebuild, although adding the Greek Freak would immediately make them title contenders.
The Raptors’ focus on Antetokounmpo has been years in the making, and maybe fans shouldn’t be surprised at all.
The 2013 NBA Draft is not remembered for being all that great, with the exception of Antetokounmpo and Rudy Gobert.
When the Bucks drafted Antetokounmpo 15th overall, they did not know they would be getting an all-time great, and the selection is generally heralded as the finest example of European scouting.
However, the Bucks were not the only team eager to add Giannis. In a video filmed in the Raptors’ war room, Masai Ujiri is seen trying to trade 2015 picks with the Oklahoma City Thunder to get the 12th pick, which he would have used on Giannis.
Of course, the Thunder’s 12th pick was originally the Raptors, which they traded for Kyle Lowry.
While Lowry is arguably the greatest Raptor ever, Giannis would have been a better cornerstone.
The Raptors also tried to add the 14th pick from the Minnesota Timberwolves, who would go on to draft Trey Burke before trading him for Gorgui Dieng and Shabazz Muhammad.
Since Toronto failed to steal Antetokounmpo from the Bucks in 2013, both the Raptors and Bucks went on to win a title, although neither team is currently in contention. The Raptors have young All-Star Scottie Barnes, although he would likely be included in a trade with the Bucks.
Milwaukee, as owners of the biggest trade asset this summer, can play the long game and wait for an offer they can’t refuse, or they could simply hold out and try to rework the roster around their superstar.
However, with a 12-year obsession, Ujiri seems more likely than any other executive to offer the Godfather trade package, with Barnes, RJ Barrett, and perhaps even Immanuel Quickley on the table, as well as ample draft capital for the Bucks to rebuild with.
While John Hammond is often lauded for picking Giannis, he was not the only executive with him on his board, and Ujiri has long made it clear that Antetokounmpo is his ideal player.
