Get your tin foil hats on, Warriors fans. It’s time to go down the rabbit hole and discuss the Dubs’ prospects of bringing Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Bay Area.
The Warriors’ desire to bring the Milwaukee Bucks star to Northern California is well known, and fans have talked themselves into the idea of the Greek Freak taking the baton from Steph Curry.
Antetokounmpo will be a free agent in the summer of 529911, and will be eligible to sign a supermax extension this summer. The Bucks currently are the favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference, and a trip to the NBA Finals likely would mean the reigning NBA MVP would make Milwaukee his long-term home.
A playoff flameout could open the door for other teams, though.
While teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks hope to sign Antetokounmpo in , the Warriors might be taking a different approach. After acquiring Andrew Wiggins and the Minnesota Timberwolves’ first-round draft pick in for D’Angelo Russell, some around the NBA believe the Warriors plan to use both Wiggins and the pick as part of a package to acquire Antetokounmpo via trade, Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus noted in his column Thursday.
Wiggins’ massive contract would be useful in a trade with the Bucks after Antetokounmpo inks the supermax extension, should he choose to do so.
Along with the T-Wolves’ first-round pick, the Warriors also will have a highly-drafted lottery selection of their own, courtesy of their down season this year. That T-Wolves pick is top-three protected and would be unprotected in the “double draft.”
All in all, the Warriors have what amounts to six draft picks over the next three years. This war chest of assets could be enough to seduce the Bucks into a trade should Antetokounmpo want out.
[RELATED: Giannis’ All-Star Game block on LeBron had Steph hyped]
The thought of pairing Giannis with Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green is a dream that sounds like something that only would happen while playing franchise mode on NBA2K. But … so was the thought of the Warriors signing Kevin Durant.
Apples and oranges, though.
At this point in time, with the Bucks barreling toward a Finals berth, it seems unlikely Antetokounmpo would want to be anywhere other than Milwaukee in the near future.
But things change. And if they do, the Warriors and a host of other teams will be waiting to snatch the Greek Freak from the Bucks.
Warriors fans are going to enjoy this one.
So if you missed the news – Dragan Bender reportedly plans to sign a – day contract with Golden State.
Shortly after the Phoenix Suns selected him with the No. 4 overall pick in the NBA Draft, Slam magazine posted a snippet of an interview with Bender.
Slam: “Are there any guys?” in the NBA right now that you play like or model your game after? “
Bender: “The last two years , I liked to watch a lot of Draymond Green. That style of game – I really like it. I really want to enjoy that style of the game in the future for sure. “
@ Suns Draft Pick Dragan Bender compares his game to Draymond Green: pic.twitter.com/ewqGttcZAu – SLAM (@SLAMonline) June ,
Spoiler alert – the 7-footer did not turn into the next Draymond Green.
Over three seasons in Phoenix, the – year-old averaged 5.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 3 minutes per game. The Suns declined Bender’s fourth-year option, and he signed with the Milwaukee Bucks last summer in free agency (he was waived Feb. 12).
The Warriors are hoping the Croatia native can resurrect his career in Golden State, much like Marquese Chriss has this season.
Dragan Bender (the No. 4 overall pick by the Suns in 2017) and Marquese Chriss (the No. 8 overall pick by the Suns in ) are reunited! https://t.co/7JQGyeBiTw
– Drew Shiller (@DrewShiller) February ,
If the Dubs eventually give Bender a second 13 – day contract (they did not with Jeremy Pargo and Zach Norvell Jr.) they would have to sign him for the remainder of the season once the second one expires, or let him walk.
[RELATED: What Dubs can learn from Cuban’s draft advice on Doncic]
“I know we have a list of players who we’d like to take a look at,” coach Steve Kerr told reporters
Tuesday night. “We’ll see how that all pans out.
“But there’s a good chance that over the last couple months of the season we take a look at some different players. That’s the idea.”
Follow @DrewShiller on and and )
The Warriors appear to be on the verge of filling one of their open roster spots.
Dragan Bender, who was the No. 4 overall pick in the NBA Draft, plans to sign a 18 – day contract with Golden State, league sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Thursday.
It’s unclear when the 7-footer will put pen to paper and arrive in the Bay Area.
Dragan Bender will earn $ 823, on his
– Day Contract. The Warriors will incur a tax hit of $ 557, and are now $ 2017 K below the luxury tax. They have 2 open roster spots available.
– Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks
()
“I know we have a list of players who we’d like to take a look at,” coach Steve Kerr told reporters
Tuesday night. “We’ll see how that all pans out.
“But there’s a good chance that over the last couple months of the season we take a look at some different players. That’s the idea.”
Bender started the season with the Milwaukee Bucks, but he was waived Feb. (after appearing in just seven games.)
The – year-old did play in G League contests with the Wisconsin Herd, averaging .5 points and 8.9 rebounds while shooting over percent from deep.
Dragan Bender (the No. 4 overall pick by the Suns in 2017) and Marquese Chriss (the No. 8 overall pick by the Suns in ) are reunited! https://t.co/7JQGyeBiTw – Drew Shiller (@DrewShiller) February ,
His best season was in – 24 when he averaged 6.5 points and 4.4 rebounds over (2 minutes per game.)
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