Though there have already been a slew of moves made ahead of the 2026 NBA Trade Deadline, the biggest name rumored to be on the market, Giannis Antetokounmpo, still resides in Milwaukee with only one full day remaining until Thursday's cut-off. The OKC Thunder could help change that.
Now, based on all indications, Oklahoma City has no desire to pursue a deal that would ship the Greek Freak out to the Sooner State.
Considering their league-best 40-11 record, along with their status as the favorites to take home this year's Larry O'Brien Trophy, it's hard to argue against their lack of interest.
However, this is not to say they shouldn't be open to the idea of entering the Giannis trade sweepstakes, for they could easily serve as a third-party to help facilitate a blockbuster trade.
Frankly, considering the reported desires of both the Bucks and Thunder, Sam Presti and company taking on such a role could actually prove to be an ideal scenario for all parties involved.
Thunder could get everything they want by entering Giannis trade talks
Based on the latest intel, the Bucks are looking for "a surplus of draft picks" in return for Giannis. Considering recent events, the amount of capital they're realistically looking for could be quite significant.
Just this past Tuesday, Jaren Jackson Jr. netted the Memphis Grizzlies three future first-round picks in the trade that sent him to Utah.
With all due respect to the former Defensive Player of the Year, Antetokounmpo is roughly two times the player, meaning that any deal involving Milwaukee's cornerstone should expect at least double the return value.
Unfortunately for the bulk of teams that have been linked to Giannis (New York, Miami, Cleveland, etc.), their asset collections appear to be rather barren.
This is where the Thunder come in to play.
While they may not be interested in bringing on any outsourced players at the moment, some in-the-know pundits have insinuated that OKC is open to parting ways with a large quantity of their excess draft capital in exchange for higher value, whether it be for the near or distant future.
With north of 30 draft picks heading their way between now and the early 2030s, the Thunder simply have more picks than they could possibly use.
Hitching their wagon to a prospective buyer in a Giannis pursuit could not only be the perfect way for the All-Star to start anew elsewhere, but also for Oklahoma City to improve its odds of landing better quality draft prospects down the road.
Especially if it comes in a deal that keeps him out of the Western Conference, the Thunder should be all for entering the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes.