NBA Exec Drops Surprising Take on Giannis' Trade Value Compared to Kawhi Leonard amid Rumors

One NBA executive told ESPN's Brian Windhorst the trade rumors surrounding the Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo have distracted from another superstar who could potentially hit the market this summer.

"Every day you hear about what's going to happen with Giannis, but everyone ignores that Kawhi [Leonard] has been better and healthier over the last two seasons," an executive for an Eastern Conference team told Windhorst.

The executive concluded: "If you had a chance to acquire one or the other, I might go Kawhi."

Leonard, who will turn 35 in June, averaged a career-high 27.9 points per game last season while appearing in 65 games.

That marked the second time in six seasons with the Clippers that Leonard, who has previously struggled with injuries, hit the 65-game threshold.

Antetokounmpo was limited to just 36 games last season, although he told reporters he was healthy late in the campaign and being held out by the tanking Bucks.

The 31-year-old, who posted at least 30 points per game over the last three seasons, averaged 27.6 points when available.

Windhorst's report comes shortly after ESPN's Shams Charania reported the Bucks "are open for business on trade calls" for Antetokounmpo.

There have also been rumors surrounding Leonard ever since the Clippers sold at the February deadline by trading Ivica Zubac to the Indiana Pacers and James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The San Francisco Standard's Tim Kawakami reported in April that Leonard was "reasonably close" to joining Zubac and Harden on that list of departures.

"Multiple league sources indicated this week that the Warriors were reasonably close to trading for Kawhi Leonard last February — apparently with much of the deal terms generally agreed to — before the Clippers ultimately decided to pull out of the talks," Kawakami wrote.

Kawakami added that "Leonard's name continues to be connected to possible Warriors moves."

The Warriors have also been connected to Antetokounmpo, for whom ESPN's Ramona Shelburne reported they offered four unprotected first-round picks before the Bucks rebuffed their offer at the deadline.

Jimmy Butler's ongoing recovery from ACL surgery could lead the Warriors to continue pursuing one of these superstars in order to add some offensive firepower before running things back with Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Steve Kerr next spring.