Absurd Trade Offers for NBA's Most Untouchable Stars In 2026

For months (or probably even years), the Milwaukee Bucks have publicly denied that they might trade Giannis Antetokounmpo.

But now that we're more than halfway through what will likely be a sub-.500 season, and after several more head-scratching quotes that leave the door open for a trade from Giannis himself, it seems like we may have finally reached the point of no return (to Milwaukee).

On Wednesday, ESPN's Shams Charania posted: "Two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is ready for a new home at the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline or in the offseason as several rival teams make aggressive offers to the Milwaukee Bucks for him, and the franchise is starting to listen..."

Whether or not Antetokounmpo or his agent explicitly requested a trade remains unclear, but the situation feels untenable. And that may have forced a realization from his longtime organization. It's time to move on.

For the league's very best players, extremely messy situations or trade requests are really the only thing that can bring their teams to this point. And with the Bucks reaching it, we couldn't help but wonder how that would look with other teams and other untouchable stars.

If, somehow, things soured between the league's best players and their current organizations, what would trades involving them look like?

With the massive caveat that we don't expect any of this to happen on our current timeline, we answer that question below.

A Shai Gilgeous-Alexander-Giannis Antetokounmpo Swap

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luguentz Dort for Giannis Antetokounmpo, first-round pick swaps in 2030 and 2031 and a first-round pick in 2032

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is 27 years old. He just won Finals MVP and is a near-lock for his second straight regular-season MVP.

Even in a league with Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokić, SGA could well be the single most untouchable trade asset in the entire NBA.

But again, we're operating under the assumption that something has gone terribly wrong and Gilgeous-Alexander wants a new home. And in that scenario, an SGA-for-Giannis swap (which would more than solve Milwaukee's problem) might make some sense.

The Oklahoma City Thunder would emerge from this deal with a good amount of perimeter scoring and playmaking from Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell. And Giannis could replace the raw production of SGA (with a bit less efficiency), while also adding size and defensive versatility.

Of course, Gilgeous-Alexander is younger and a better shooter. And to make the salaries work, OKC would have to send another rotation player along with him. Even in a "get me outta here" situation, Milwaukee would have to kick in some draft assets.

A Nikola Jokic-Victor Wembanyama Swap

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Nikola Jokić for Victor Wembanyama, Devin Vassell and Kelly Olynyk

Denver Nuggets fans who read the previous slide probably scoffed at the idea that SGA might be the most untouchable player in the NBA.

Nikola Jokić is still in his prime, has a game that shouldn't be overly affected by declining athleticism, is the best basketball player in the world, has been the best player for over half a decade and would instantly transform any team's offense.

Getting him would probably take another untouchable.

Now, in reality, the Nuggets and San Antonio Spurs would probably both say no to a trade involving Jokić and Victor Wembanyama. The latter is significantly younger and is far better on defense than Jokić is or will ever be. The former is more ready to compete for titles right now.

That's why it's tough to figure out which side (if any) would have to include a pick.

The only reason the trade is unbalanced in this form is because San Antonio would have to send out more salary to make the deal legal under the current trade rules.

But even with that imbalance, a Spurs team with Jokić, Stephon Castle, De'Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper would be an obvious title contender for the foreseeable future.

The Nuggets with Wemby, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon and Cameron Johnson would be too. They wouldn't be quite the same offensive juggernaut they are now, but the defense would almost certainly be better. And the long-term prospects would probably be better too.

A Luka Dončić-Anthony Edwards Swap

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Lakers Receive: Anthony Edwards, a 2030 first-round pick swap from Minnesota and a 2026 second-round pick from Brooklyn

Timberwolves Receive: Luka Dončić

Nets Receive: Joan Beringer

An "Anthony Edwards or Luka Dončić" debate creeps up on social media every once in a while. And after the Luka trade went down last season, it was eventually revealed that the Dallas Mavericks may have tried to trade him for Edwards, too.

The Minnesota Timberwolves reportedly turned down the idea, so this trade is probably a non-starter. But again, we're operating in a world in which Edwards, Dončić (or both) have decided they want a new start.

And in that case, there may be some sense to be made of this one.

Ant's game doesn't overlap with Austin Reaves and LeBron James quite as much as Luka's does. And he's far easier to build a championship-level defense around.

The Timberwolves, meanwhile, are getting the better (in a vacuum) and more productive player, and one who can draw more out of Rudy Gobert. Luka's playmaking would turn the big man into perhaps the most dynamic lob threat in the league. And Gobert is far better equipped to cover for Luka's defensive shortcomings than Deandre Ayton.

Of course, there's one other team involved here, and that's because the current cap and apron rules make a two-team trade with these two stars nearly impossible. So, the Brooklyn Nets are swooping in with a second-round pick, their cap space and their need for a young center on the same timeline as Egor Dёmin.

Stephen Curry

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Stephen Curry for Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges, Collin Sexton, a 2026 first-round pick, a 2030 first-round pick and a 2032 first-round pick

This one is a slightly different flavor than the rest of the deals we've discussed so far. Stephen Curry is almost certainly near the end of his career. So, although he's still one of the most productive guards in the NBA, he doesn't have the same kind of trade value as SGA, Jokić, Wemby or Luka.

His legacy and the fact that he's spent his entire career with the Golden State Warriors still makes him seem like an untouchable, though. And the team trading him without his blessing is almost unimaginable.

Having said that, the Charlotte Hornets are in Curry's home state. They have plenty of draft capital to send the Warriors' way. And LaMelo Ball and Kon Knueppel being able to play with Curry could be positively transformative for the rest of their careers.

For Golden State, this would obviously tip off a full-fledged rebuild. Brandon Miller would give the Warriors a promising young talent to have on the foundation, but they'd almost certainly want to unload the contracts of Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green, too.

Again, this deal (and each of the ones before it) is probably outside the realm of possibility. But the NBA can be a wild, wild place. And just 12 months ago, when the Mavericks sent Luka packing, we saw an actual trade that was way outside the realm of possibility.