It’s that time of year again—superstars are packing for Cancun, and fans are packing trade machines with wild scenarios. And at the center of it all? Giannis Antetokounmpo. With the Bucks once again bowing out early, the rumor mill is back in overdrive. While just about every team in the league would love to land the Greek Freak, there’s one unexpected suitor quietly gaining steam: the San Antonio Spurs. On paper, it sounds far-fetched. But there’s a surprising connection that could actually tilt the odds in their favor. The real question: can San Antonio turn whispers into a blockbuster?

Well, the Bucks are in a horrible slump currently. They’ve not gone past the second round since they won the whole thing in 2021. And that run includes three first-round knockouts—the Pacers being the culprits twice in a row now. So they know something in the team needs to change. But they need two things: young assets and draft capital—something the Spurs have in abundance. So, what would a deal like this even look like?

Well, New York Times posted an article bringing up an idea that would involve three teams—Bucks, Spurs, and the New Orleans Pelicans. In this, Bucks get Zion Williamson, Keldon Johnson, 2025 first-round pick (Spurs, via Hawks), 2027 first-round pick swap rights (Pelicans), 2029 first-round pick (Spurs). As for the Pelicans, they get Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan, Pat Connaughton, 2027 first-round pick (Spurs, via Hawks), meanwhile the Spurs get Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Although, this idea just seems to be tailor made for the Pelicans rather than the other two. For the Crescent City, they’ll finally get an out on the Zion Williamson nightmare on their wage bill. In return, they get a good number of reliable players that could help the rebuild from the ground up, and a 2027 first-round pick that is more than ideal. But the Bucks come out worst in this. For them, they’ll be adopting that uncertainty in return for arguably their best player since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

But we’ve seen this movie before. No one thought the Mavericks would ever trade Luka Doncic for any rhyme or reason. And they traded him for an injury-prone veteran in Anthony Davis- a mirror image of the deal just discussed. What’s different is that there wasn’t much of a link between Luka and the Lakers for that deal to seem plausible. But for Giannis Antetokounmpo, there’s a long-lasting connection with Gregg Popovich that could sway an unexpected move.

Gregg Popovich coached Giannis Antetokounmpo in Basketball Without Borders Africa camp in 2015

Captain. Leader. Legend. Gregg Popovich’s story just added another powerful chapter—this time from the front office. While many assumed time would eventually slow down the NBA’s oldest head coach, Pop just took on more power as the Spurs’ full-time Team President.

That means trades, roster moves, and big-picture decisions now bear his full imprint. And with that authority comes influence—especially with players he’s built relationships with over the years. One such name? Giannis Antetokounmpo. Their bond dates back to the Basketball Without Borders Africa camp in 2015, and with the Greek Freak’s future in flux, that connection might just be the Spurs’ wildcard.

In August 2015, Popovich led Team Africa in the NBA’s first-ever game on the continent. At the same time, he oversaw the Basketball Without Borders Africa camp, where Giannis (then a 20-year-old upcoming talent) improved his game under Pop’s tutelage. The Greek Freak was part of Team Africa, which included veterans like as Luol Deng, Bismack Biyombo, Serge Ibaka, and others born or nurtured in Africa. Popovich led Team Africa, which included Mike Budenholzer and Monty Williams.

Giannis absorbed Popovich’s guidance on spacing and defensive rotations. These are the talents he eventually attributed to his rapid progress on both ends of the floor. You could consider him the early mentor of the Greeks’ aggressive and adaptable game.

All of this just hyperbole though. Shams Charania reported that Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks will sit down for future talks. So it all depends on how those go. But if he does decide to side with Team Giannis instead of Team Milwaukee, is Gregg Popovich’s influence enough for him to join Team San Antonio?