Sometimes, fortune favors the bold. Against a mere 1.8% chance, the Dallas Mavericks have pulled off the unthinkable — they’ve won the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery. Now, with the top pick in hand, they hold the keys to a new era. To be precise, Cooper Flagg, Duke’s superstar forward and the projected number one, is most likely to where the white and blue next season. While Dallas takes the top spot, the San Antonio Spurs sit at #2. And interestingly enough, these positions and chances seem to open some doors for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Looking for a shift in momentum, the Greek Freak is reportedly keeping an open mind for trade this offseason. This simply means, teams with assets and enough financial flexibility could bid for the 2x MVP. That being said, Bill Simmons, Joe House, and Kyle Mann have drawn a picture of the what-ifs.
In an interesting $250M plan, Giannis Antetokounmpo could find himself in San Antonio
San Antonio has options, and they know it. With Victor Wembanyama already ahead of schedule recovering from DVT and flashing Defensive Player of the Year potential, the clock is ticking. They’ve shown intent by targeting De’Aaron Fox in the Feb trade window. So now, the question lingers. Do they make one more bold move or play the long game? Kyle Mann feels that Rutgers’ point guard Dylan Harper could be a good pick for the Spurs.
“I think taking Harper — if you look at it in a right-now basketball sense,” he said. “He can play with Fox. He can play with anyone. They can bring him along slowly because he has such great positional size. I also think that if they do choose to make a move, he’s the best asset available. So he serves both purposes.” Meanwhile, the analyst noted that, “Harper isn’t quite the Flagg level. He’s probably more on the Cade [Cunningham] level of a number one pick type player — if Flagg wasn’t there.”
Now, where do the Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo stand in this scenario? “If there’s a team out there that’s heartbroken, that wants to make a move, that wants to start over — let’s say, hypothetically, just pulling a name out of a hat — Milwaukee. A great square-one starting point,” Mann pointed out. Meanwhile, Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell came up in the conversation, why? Well, you need a bunch of contracts to get $228 million Greek Freak, right?
Moreover, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper may share a timeline, but that alone will not spark a full revival. It is a solid starting point, not a shortcut to success. The league’s standard remains high, and despite promising pieces, they are likely to stay in the draft mix. “But if I’m Milwaukee in this hypothetical scenario, I’m trying to get — I’m going to try to get Vassell… [Keldon]Johnson seems like he’s going to be expendable to whatever they’re doing here,” Kyle Mann further noted.
“You need contracts to put in for a Giannis trade is part of the problem. If I’m San Antonio — if I think Harper is going to be this good — Wemby… What is Wemby, like 21? What kind of timetable am I in anyway? I’m the King, then,” Mann added. “‘Hey, if you have somebody awesome, the timetable should start pretty soon.’ But still, pretty young. From a Harper standpoint — your absolute ceiling on him — could he be the second-best guy on a title team?”
Devin Vassell with his 5-year, $135M, Stephon Castle with his 4-year, $41M, and Keldon Johnson with his 4-year, $74M could be packed together and moved to the Milwaukee Bucks along with some draft picks if the San Antonio Spurs in this hypothetical world wish to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo. An approx. $250M door would open, and the 30-year-old could find some support on the floor with Wemby and Fox on the floor.
Why can the San Antonio Spurs become a good landing spot for Antetokounmpo?
San Antonio is the ultimate wild card. With the right assets and bold vision, they could pull off a move that stuns the entire league. At first glance, it feels chaotic. Yet, with the right pieces, chaos can be power. Offensively, the fit seems unusual. However, Victor Wembanyama‘s love for the perimeter and Giannis Antetokounmpo’s dominance inside could complement each other. Meanwhile, on defense, it becomes terrifying. Therefore, attacking the rim might be pointless. Better start launching threes.
However, other teams like the Knicks, Lakers, Rockets, and Grizzlies could also open fresh opportunities for the Bucks star. But, as Kevin Durant clearly said, “Your 4 of your starting 5 and 6 picks, lol.” You’d need to give up four starters and six draft picks (at least).
Apr 10, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) gets ready to play the New Orleans Pelicans at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
In the end, all roads lead to bold decisions. Whether it is San Antonio stacking stars or Milwaukee pressing reset, the stakes are rising. The Giannis sweepstakes will not come cheap, but the reward is towering. So, as the offseason unfolds, keep your eyes wide. Because somewhere, a franchise is about to gamble big—and maybe change the league forever.
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