Giannis blockbuster; contender resets in mega three-teamer — NBA panic trades to shake up NBA

The Bucks decide: ‘Screw it, let’s get it over and done with’.

They could well ultimately decide to rid themselves of the Antetokounmpo trade drama and commit to moving in another direction before the season is up. To ensure it doesn’t drag into the off-season and beyond and hangs over the franchise.

They’re 14-19 overall and a mess whenever Antetokounmpo is sidelined, which doesn’t bode well for how the ‘Greek Freak’ would be feeling about the rest of the roster.

As far as teams that could make an all-in play this season, Atlanta is among those with enough assets you could conceivably see putting together a good enough offer to convince Milwaukee to pull the trigger on a deal.

After going into this season with increased expectations, the sliding Hawks are four games below .500 at 15-19 and in the final play-in spot in the Eastern Conference, despite an epic breakout season from Jalen Johnson.

Kristaps Porzingis continues to miss time and the Hawks, as constructed, just generally don’t look capable of a deep playoff run, with issues on both ends of the court.

And yet the East is wide open and there’s arguably never been a better player on the trade market this century than Antetokounmpo.

It includes Atlanta going 0-6 with Trae Young since he returned from injury amid reports the franchise is considering moving on from the All-Star guard.

After Atlanta opted against giving Young a contract extension, he crucially has a player option on his deal for next season. It means Young can opt out of his contract this US summer and become a free agent.

So it’s basically a pseudo expiring deal, which might appeal to Milwaukee, or the Hawks could try and find another team to attach to the deal and see what else they can get.

Imagine if the Hawks offered Young, former No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher and four first-round picks — two of which currently have ties to Milwaukee, so the Bucks could crucially gain back control of their draft hand.

Atlanta could also include Porzingis’ expiring deal instead of, or in addition to, Young.

So, assuming Antetokounmpo’s days in Bucks are numbered, is Milwaukee ever going to get a better offer?

While a deal mightn’t include an exciting rising star the Bucks would undoubtably want back in any Antetokounmpo package (sorry Milwaukee, you’re not getting Johnson), they could convince themselves it’s the right time to rebuild ahead of a stacked 2026 draft class.

Risacher hasn’t quite come on yet like Atlanta would’ve hoped for a former No. 1 pick in his second season But he’s still in that intriguing period where you can sell teams on the 20-year old’s Frenchman’s potential.

How about a starting line-up Nickeil-Alexander Walker-Dyson Daniels-Johnson-Antetokounmpo-Onyeka Okongwu?

MAVS SHIP AD EAST

Mavericks get

RJ Barrett

Jakob Poeltl

Ja’Kobe Walter

2026 first-round pick

2027 first-round pick

Raptors get

Anthony Davis

Davis to … the Great White North?

If teams can’t get Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis would be a nice consolidation prize, despite the clear injury concerns, when you factor in the cheaper price tag.

The bigger risk is Davis’ looming four-year, $275 million extension he’s eligible to sign this off-season. It’d carry through the 2030s and pay the All-Star centre around $76 million when he turns 37.

A scary prospect for a player who already struggles to stay on the court including playing only 16 of a possible 34 games this season. But don’t give Davis the extension and risk him opting out of his contract for the 2027/28 season and walking for nothing as a free agent.

Unfortunately, teams like Toronto don’t have the luxury of bigger markets as free agency drawcards and superstars requesting trades to them, and the like. Sometimes they need to seize other opportunities, like when Toronto nabbed Kawhi Leonard in a trade as a one-season rental and won a title out of it.

And sure, Toronto is tracking well enough at 20-14 to current sit fourth in the East. But it remains a team you could still see being desperate enough to convince itself this is the best way for the team to really go to another level that’s in need of a frontcourt upgrade.

Plus the Raptors have one of the most expensive rosters in the NBA as is, so they’re already committed to a win-now build.

Dallas, meanwhile, appears open to trading Davis to allow the franchise to commit to gearing everything around Cooper Flagg as its No. 1 option.

The grim reality for the Mavs, however, is that any return for Davis would likely be underwhelming, given his growing injury concerns. Which would (somehow) make the disastrous Luka Doncic trade even worse, given Davis was the centrepiece for Dallas.

They might even be lucky to get multiple first-rounders at this point.

But Dallas shouldn’t compound its issues and stubbornly hold onto Davis because he was foolishly seen as some sort of equivalent to Doncic. That should be Flagg, who the Mavs miraculously got with 1.8 per cent lottery odds.

From a bigger picture lens, moving the 32-year old Davis now, while he has some value, and embracing tank mode in the last season Dallas has full control of its first-round pick makes plenty of sense.

And at 12-22, the Mavs are a ways of conceding, much less a playoff team right now.

HEAT TAKE PUNT ON MORANT

Heat gets

Ja Morant

Grizzlies get

Andrew Wiggins

Nikola Jovic

2026 first-round pick

2027 second-round pick

Miami buying low on Morant and reviving his career would be the most Miami thing ever.

It’s been an up and down season for the 18-15 Heat, with more downs in recent times, despite the team riding a three-game win streak.

Unless they make an all-in move for Antetokounmpo, or another superstar, Erik Spoelstra’s squad still feels a key piece short of being able to match it with the best teams in the East. And they seem open for business after being frequently linked to trade talks.

Although this is more a case of Miami capitalising on a buy-low opportunity to try and better position the team long term, as it is really going for it this season.

Of course, the Heat could use an upgrade at point guard regardless.

It feels like Morant’s days in Memphis are numbered and that the team might be better off pulling the pin at this stage and to give their young players like Zach Edey, Cedric Coward and Jaylen Wells more room to develop.

This mightn’t necessarily make the Grizzlies worse, by the way. But it gives them scope to move into a number of different directions and essentially have more overall flexibility moving forward.

Hard to say exactly what Morant’s trade value is now, but Memphis couldn’t expect much more with how rarely he’s been available in recent years. And even when he’s played, it’s been a far cry from his All-Star days.

WARRIORS GO CHIPS IN

Warriors get

Lauri Markkanen

Jazz get

Draymond Green

Jonathan Kuminga

2026 first-round pick

2027 first-round pick

2028 first-round pick

This mightn’t be as much of a panic trade, as it is a last hurrah with Steph Curry.

The clock is clearly ticking on this current iteration of the Warriors, with Steve Kerr even recently acknowledging they were a “fading dynasty.”

Hard to say if there’s any deal out there, including one for Antetokounmpo, that can make the 17-16 Warriors a genuine contender again. But this would be their absolute last-ditch bid to give Curry a chance to really compete, which, they owe him as much.

If not, Golden State seems destined for another play-in berth, or in an absolute best-case scenario, a first or second-round playoff exit.

Markkanen feels like the ideal missing piece for the Warriors to help improve their bottom 10-ranked offensive and take some of the load off Curry.

As good as Butler has been for Golden State, he hasn’t quite added that elite scoring punch Markkanen, averaging 27.9 points per game, can.

Any big move for a superstar would effectively require the Warriors to trade Jimmy Butler or Draymond Green to make salaries match. I think we all know which way that’d go.

The writing is seemingly on the wall for Green to depart regardless in what’s been a rocky season for the 35-year old with more drama. You feel like the four-time champion, for all he’s given the Warriors, could use a fresh change of scenery.

While Green and Kuminga don’t necessarily make a ton of sense for the rebuilding Jazz (unless they’re ready to bring in a veteran to help them make a leap next season, or see upside in Kuminga), the draft picks are the big appeal to try and emulate OKC’s model.

And while Utah seems keen to keep Markkanen around long term, it might get overwhelmed with an offer too good to refuse.

BALL, SABONIS SWAP SPOTS

Hornets get

Domantas Sabonis

2031 first-round pick (Spurs hold rights to swap)

Kings get

LaMelo Ball

2027 first-round pick

2026 second-round pick (better of Nuggets or Warriors)

A mini shake-up for both teams.

The Hornets’ side is relatively obvious.

They’ve again struggled this season, currently sitting three games out of the play-in at 11-21 overall, despite having a roster with genuine potential. But there remains a glaring frontcourt hole … and that’s where Sabonis comes in.

Plus, you sense Charlotte is moving away from Ball, who’s been surrounded by trade rumours, anyway to prioritise Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller as its franchise cornerstones. Having a more seasoned big man in Sabonis should only help with the development of such young players.

Slightly less obvious why Sacramento would do this, especially given it already has a plethora of guards. And a bit of a hard sell to effectively replace the guy they traded Tyrese Haliburton for with Ball.

But the Kings might see Sabonis as their best trade chip (not that that logic necessarily applies to this deal), given the likes of Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan would net them very little, if anything, at this stage, to help with an overhaul.

And they could view Ball, still only 24 and five years younger than Sabonis, as a buy low and their new franchise cornerstone to lead them into a new era. Despite the clear injury risk attached, given Ball has been plagued by chronic ankle issues.

Because of those concerns, compared to the more reliable Sabonis, Sacramento also gets slightly better draft capital on top and gives away a 2031 first-rounder, which San Antonio has the right to swap with.

So the Kings basically get Ball, Charlotte’s 2027 first-round pick and a second-rounder for what you’d think will be a late Spurs first-rounder in 2031 (given the trajectory they’re on).

Plus, Maxime Raynaud has impressed as a starter since Sabonis has been sidelined and the rookie centre should continue to get opportunities as one of Sacramento’s rare bright lights this season.

CAVS PAY UP TO TRY AND SPARK SEASON

Cavaliers get

Trey Murphy III

Herb Jones

Pelicans get

Darius Garland

2026 first-round pick (Spurs hold rights to swap)

2030 first-round pick

2031 first-round pick

2027 second-round pick (via Nuggets)

2028 second-round pick

The Cavaliers go all in.

They’re the only team in the NBA that’s over the second tax apron and were the favourite to come out of the East, yet currently sit in a play-in spot with an 18-16 record.

For whatever reason, things just haven’t clicked yet this year, with injuries playing a big part for the underachieving team.

At this point, Cleveland might even be look to be a trade seller to save money, unless it can find a deal out there it likes.

Garland has been one of those players constantly interrupted by injury in what’s been a down season so far for the star point guard, which has also hurt his diminishing trade value.

Therefore, the Cavs here give up Garland and five picks — three first-rounders — for two big upgrades on the wing in Murphy and Jones after the addition of De’Andre Hunter hasn’t quite worked.

Suddenly a big three of Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Murphy is as potent as any in the NBA and probably makes more sense than Garland instead of Murphy.

Murphy is one of the most intriguing trade chips in the league for a Pelicans team that might be willing to move him for the right price.

New Orleans doesn’t necessarily need another guard; it already has Jeremiah Fears, Jordan Poole and Dejounte Murray, when he returns.

But the Pelicans still get a star-level player back they could look to revive the trade value of along with a surplus of draft picks to help the team moving forward.

And Zion Williamson could really thrive playing alongside a pure point guard for the first time in his career.

WOLVES BUY HARDEN IN THREE-TEAM SWAP

Timberwolves get

James Harden

Chris Paul

Jalen Wilson

Clippers get

Naz Reid

Mike Conley

Rob Dillingham

Joe Ingles

Nets get

2027 second-round pick (tied to Cavaliers, via Timberwolves)

A big old three-teamer!

Minnesota doesn’t just add one point guard, but two, with Harden and Paul both joining the team.

Clearly, the addition of Harden is the big one and an upgrade at the guard position the Wolves are crying out for and to take some of the burden off Anthony Edwards.

Minnesota general manager Tim Connelly is never shy to make a bold move, and with the West’s sixth-seeded Wolves (21-12) seemingly a rung below the top contenders in the conference, he might be poised to try something big like this.

The bigger question facing Minnesota is this; is its current team capable of winning four-straight playoff rounds against some of the West’s best?

This move would give them a starting line-up of Harden-Edwards-Jaden McDaniels-Julius Randle-Rudy Gobert, though their big man depth would take a hit with Reid heading to LA.

The Clippers, meanwhile, get a mini reset amid a horror 10-21 season, despite a recent four-game winning streak sparking some signs of life.

But the opportunity to add two exciting pieces in Reid and former Pick 8 Dillingham, who could yet have untapped potential in bigger roles, might be enough to convince them to move past Harden and into a younger direction.

And accept that this Clippers team, led by Harden and Kawhi Leonard, didn’t work.

Not to mention that they’d still have plenty of talent with Leonard, Ivica Zubac and other key role players. Oh, and Aussie veteran Joe Ingles, who’s very much in the twilight of his career, finds a new home!

BULLS FIND DEFENSIVE UPGRADES IN BUCKS’ DESPERATE BID TO KEEP GIANNIS

Bulls get

Myles Turner

Keon Ellis

Bucks get

Domantas Sabonis

Coby White

Kings get

Kyle Kuzma

Jalen Smith

2026 first-round pick (worse of Pelicans and Bucks)

2030 first-round pick (worse of Blazers and Bucks)

2028 second-round pick (tied to Bulls)

Hard to tell who’s the real Bulls. We’ve seen the best and worst of this team in a rollercoaster season that currently has them ninth in the East at 15-17 overall.

But one thing that’s crystal clear is their defence desperately needs to improve if they want to be a more serious, well-rounded team.

While Turner hasn’t lived up expectations in Milwaukee for the most part, the Bulls get a big defensive upgrade at centre with this trade. They could even explore bigger line-ups with Turner and Vucevic, or move Vucevic to the bench.

They trade more offence for defence by essentially flipping White for Ellis, who can be a valuable hustle guy to bring off the bench in the mold of OKC’s scrappy defenders.

As for the Bucks, they add some needed firepower in Sabonis and White in their desperate bid to convince Antetokounmpo to stick around. Suddenly Milwaukee has a line-up that might be able to make some noise in a weakened, wide open East.

It’s basically a cost-cutting move for the Kings to put them in a better position long term as they embrace full-blown tank mode and gear up to try and get a high lottery pick.

They cut Sabonis’ contract (three years, $42 million) in half with Kuzma’s deal (two years, $22 million) and take a year of big money off their books ahead of a looming rebuild.