Back in February, the Trail Blazers were ready to go scorched earth for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Four years’ worth of first-round picks. No guarantee the two-time MVP would even sign an extension. Just a massive trade offer sitting on the table, waiting for Milwaukee to say yes.
That offer is gone now. And according to a report from Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, Portland’s front office has quietly walked away from the whole idea.
The reasoning is pretty straightforward. The Blazers got the message that Antetokounmpo likely wouldn’t commit to a long-term future in Portland, so there was no point in gutting the roster for a rental. You don’t trade four first-round picks for a year of any player, even if that player is Giannis.
The Blazers Pushed Hard, Then Pushed Back
The February deadline frenzy around Antetokounmpo was real. A bunch of teams called Milwaukee to see what was possible. Portland was among the most aggressive, even though the franchise was still figuring out its own direction under a new front office structure. At the time, the Blazers were fighting for a playoff spot and looking for a shortcut to relevance.
“I’m told that Portland, back at the February trade deadline, was prepared to sacrifice up to four years of first-round draft capital in an Antetokounmpo trade … even without knowing for sure that Antetokounmpo would commit to an extension,” Fischer wrote.
But things change. The Blazers eventually finished 42-40, snuck into the playoffs as a No. 7 seed, and gave the eventual Western Conference champion Spurs a decent fight before losing in five games. That run showed some promise, but it also made the front office think twice about blowing things up for a superstar who might not stay.
“It is strongly believed that the Blazers are no longer willing to go to such lengths — since it has been conveyed to them that getting such an extension signed is considered unlikely,” Fischer wrote.
Miami and Boston Are the Only Real Threats Now
With Portland out of the picture, the list of serious Antetokounmpo suitors gets shorter fast. Fischer noted that the Blazers’ retreat “has only fueled the notion that Miami and Boston have little current company at the forefront of these sweepstakes.”
That makes sense. The Heat have the assets, the culture pitch, and a front office that isn’t afraid to chase stars. The Celtics have the roster and the draft capital to put together a competitive offer. Everyone else is either too cautious or too far from contention to take the risk.
Of course, none of this means Milwaukee is actually trading Antetokounmpo. The Bucks still have him under contract, and they’re going to do everything they can to keep him. But the speculation isn’t going away, and the list of teams willing to mortgage everything for him is shrinking.
For Portland, the decision to back off makes sense from a roster-building standpoint. The Blazers have a young core that just showed some life. They have a coaching search to finish after Tiago Splitter left for Chicago. They don’t need to tie their entire future to a player who might not want to be there.
So the Giannis sweepstakes are now a two-horse race unless something changes. And if Milwaukee ever does decide to move on, the Heat and Celtics will be ready. Portland just won’t be one of the teams calling anymore.
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