Once-in-a-lifetime pairing: Stephen Curry and Giannis Antetokounmpo would be a match made in basketball heaven
CBSN
The Warriors are reportedly going all in to swing a deadline blockbuster
If the Golden State Warriors somehow swing a trade-deadline blockbuster for Giannis Antetokounmpo, the two-timeline plan will turn back into one and it will have all been worth it. For years, the Warriors, like plenty of other potential suitors, have regarded Giannis as the "white whale" catch for which they were hoarding a boatload of assets.
Well, that's not entirely true. The Warriors have also been hoarding assets because Joe Lacob believes he has been the author of this dynasty all along, and when the day comes, he's obsessed with proving he can write an equally successful sequel.
But if ever there was a player that would convince him to back off this save-for-the-future stance and go all YOLO, it's Giannis. And now that he's actually available, the Warriors, according to ESPN's Anthony Slater, are willing to go all in to get a blockbuster done ahead of next Thursday's 3 p.m. ET trade deadline.
That means, potentially, unprotected first-round picks in 2026, 2028 and 2032, a top-20 protected pick in 2030 and a 2031 swap. On top of that, Jonathan Kuminga, who Slater reports the Bucks have expressed interest in since the summer, and Brandin Podziemski, who, again according to Slater, could "nudge the needle" in the direction of a deal.
It's a major package. Probably better than any other realistic deadline suitor can offer. Those future picks, particularly in 2030, 2031 and 2032, could become very valuable in a post-Curry world. He'll be well past 40 by then. Maybe retired. Giannis, even if he stays with the Warriors longer, would be out of his prime, too.
