Giannis Antetokounmpo said this back in February: “I don’t think that I would ever text (and ask for a trade), I am not this kind of guy, they would have to kick me out.” But loyalty only runs so far. There will inevitably come a time when he starts to think about Team Giannis. Rumors online make it seem like he could go to any of the other 29 clubs. But where will he go? For a while, the Warriors seemed like an ideal destination. That was until recent developments came about, which could put the move in jeopardy.

Let’s break down the Warriors’ angle first. From the Golden State perspective, they need an attacker in their prime. Jimmy Butler and Stephen Curry are playing at their legendary best, but how long can they realistically keep it up? Not much. They need to capitalize on their twilight years to give the Dub Nation the elusive 8th championship ring. Doesn’t Giannis seem like a perfect fit for this system?

The Greek pretty much finished third in a two-horse race for the MVP after the Bucks crashed out in the first round for a third-straight year. Can you imagine his 30.4/11.9/6.5 statline alongside Butler’s two-way brilliance and Steph’s playmaking? Mouth-watering stuff. But all this is banking on the Golden State’s trade assets. Bringing in someone like Giannis, who’s currently on a monster $228,200,420 contract with Milwaukee, won’t be easy. So what do those trade assets look like?

According to NBC Chicago, it includes Draymond Green, Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, Jonathan Kuminga, Quinten Post, and 2026-31 own first-round picks. The unfortunate part is that these assets aren’t nearly as good as some of their competitors’. For instance, the OKC Thunder have a ton of resources: Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins, Isaiah Joe, Cason Wallace, Ajay Mitchell, 15 first-round picks through 2031 from various franchises. Of course, this also means they will be flirting with the prospect of breaking a championship-quality roster.

Still,  there are two things to consider. First off, any team in their right minds would throw their kitchen sinks at the possibility of getting in Giannis Antetokounmpo in his prime. The Warriors’ wage bill right now is $164.7 million, which is over cap but under the apron. This means that they’re eligible to receive matching salary in a sign-and-trade, so long as outgoing salary equals incoming within the 125% + $100k rule.

But second and most importantly, the Luka Doncic trade. Regardless of how insane a trade rumor might sound, the Doncic-Anthony Davis trade has thrown all logic out the window. And that wasn’t even rumored – just out of the blue. So could Giannis be a part of the Dub Nation come 2025 season? Well, after Steve Kerr’s Jonathan Kuminga confession, that could be put on hold.

Giannis Antetokounmpo to Warriors might not happen with Jonathan Kuminga’s growing influence

An all-important Game 6 awaits the Warriors against the Rockets. They might be leading 3-2 right now. But the happiness of seeing the Lakers get brushed aside was quickly put down the drain after their own defeat a few hours later. The Chase Center awaits them for their final home court game of the first round. And Jonathan Kuminga was out of Game 5 due to an unexpected migraine. But of all people, Steve Kerr was the first to sympathize. In fact, he confessed that he’d been a victim of the same in his childhood.

“Yeah, it runs in my family and I have had migraines since I was a teenager and they’re not fun let me tell you. If you’ve had one you know it. Felt terrible for JK yesterday but hopefully this is just a one-time deal.” In the two playoff games prior to this, Kuminga shot 19-for-7 from the floor and 5-for-2 from beyond the arc. His influence in the main team did seem a little bleak with Jimmy Butler back from his injury, and Steph running the show. But will he get a look in during Game 6?

” I think all options are on the table for sure. I think we will consider everything. There’s always an offense-defense component to any of these decisions that you make. As I said, lineup combinations, what’s coming behind the play, behind the first rotation, who’s playing together. So, we’re leaving our options open,” said Kerr on the Willard & Dibs podcast.

The fact that this comes right after Kerr had talked about playing JK and Butler together, means that he might’ve had a change of heart. Kuminga nearly spent the entire season being beckoned to a move away from the Bay Area. But these talks just make Giannis’ move to the Golden State seem all the more bleak.

Again, you just never know what the NBA has to offer. Giannis Antetokounmpo is definitely the hottest property in the Association, and any team would greatly benefit by having him. But all the points discussed so far just make a move to the Warriors more and more improbable. If not in San Fran, where do you think the Greek’s destiny lies?