A 4-Team Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade That Actually Makes Sense
The Oklahoma City Thunder and Cleveland Cavaliers ended their seasons one step short of the NBA Finals. The Thunder fell in a hard-fought seven-game series against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs; the Cavaliers were swept quickly by the New York Knicks. Both need upgrades to have a real chance of improving on their disappointing finishes.
As the Giannis Antetokounmpo saga with the Milwaukee Bucks inches ever closer to resolution, likely to be decided ahead of the first night of the NBA draft (June 23), the answer could be in a complex multi-team trade.
Rope in the Brooklyn Nets, a team with significant cap room this summer in desperate need of roster upgrades, and a theoretical four-teamer could solve everyone's complicated problems.
Full Trade Scenario
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Why the Oklahoma City Thunder Do It
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Had the Thunder won back-to-back titles, the discussion would surround how much in luxury taxes the franchise is willing to pay for a chance at the very rare three-peat. Unfortunately for the franchise, that's no longer a debate, and the looming $284 million tax bill to bring back nearly the same team looks like a financial nonstarter.
The earth-shaking move that rebalances the Thunder and helps reduce the tax burden is sending out Jalen Williams to the Bucks. Williams was one of the team's stars through the 2024-25 championship run, but hamstring issues sidelined him for much of the regular season and the playoffs. In his absence, Ajay Mitchell and Jared McCain filled in exceptionally well until Mitchell went down with a leg injury.
Mobley will earn more than Williams this year, but he solves a different issue with Hartenstein, 28, nearing the end of his contract. Hartenstein was tremendous for the Thunder, but he has an expensive $28.5 million team option. Oklahoma City can choose to pick it up, but the opportunity to upgrade to Mobley, who turns 25 in June, is too compelling.
The defensive potential of Chet Holmgren/Mobley would be tantalizing. The Thunder lose depth with Joe, Wiggins, and Williams out. Still, the combination of two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Alex Caruso, Cason Wallace, Lu Dort, Mitchell, and McCain in the backcourt and perimeter is substantial.
Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg would fit in perfectly as the No. 12 pick, making Dort expendable. The Thunder can choose to opt Dort out of his $18.2 million final year for tax savings, trade him for replacement depth, or keep him in the final year for continuity and his close relationship with Gilgeous-Alexander. Not every decision is entirely about basketball, but team harmony and Dort's diminished production against the Spurs don't reflect his workhorse contribution throughout the regular season.
By aggregating Williams and Wiggins to acquire Mobley, the Thunder trigger a second-apron hard cap at a projected $221.7 million. The franchise drops from No. 17 to No. 30 in the trade, but top basketball executive Sam Presti is among the best in the industry at finding complementary talent. The team also selects at No. 37 and will have Thomas Sorber making his debut after skipping his first season as the No. 15 pick in 2025.
The trade would be agreed to before the draft but won't be executed until July 6, after the NBA's annual moratorium. The Thunder opt out of Kenrich Williams' final year at $7.2 million, perhaps bringing back the veteran on a minimum-salary contract. If so, the Thunder would reach 15 players at $1.5 million under the apron, with a more reasonable $43 million in taxes.
That's a $241 million savings over keeping the roster together. Losing Williams and Hartenstein are bold moves, but the Thunder get a very different defender in Mobley to throw at Victor Wembanyama, while improving the team's financial standing heading into the 2026-27 season.
Why the Cleveland Cavaliers Do It
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It's easy to overlook that Cleveland finished their best postseason run since LeBron James was on the roster, but the sweep by the New York Knicks ended the year with a downer. The chance to bolster the squad with one of the top players in the NBA leads the Cavaliers to trade one of their young pillars in Mobley.
The concept has already been hit at B/R: "How the Cleveland Cavaliers Could Land Giannis Antetokounmpo in a Blockbuster Trade."
But here, the Bucks prefer Williams from the Thunder over Mobley, while also upgrading from the No. 29 pick to No. 17, via the Thunder.
Still, the logic remains the same from Cleveland's perspective. Both Donovan Mitchell and Antetokounmpo agree to an extension. James Harden opts out of his final year at $42.3 million to re-sign at a lower figure. If he agrees to a $30 million starting salary, the Cavaliers may be able to bring back defender Dean Wade at a $5 million starting salary.
Cleveland also locks in a hard cap at the second apron by aggregating Mobley and Merrill for Antetokounmpo. The team also picks up a decent second-rounder from the Nets, helping to keep the total payroll at about $220 million.
Why the Milwaukee Bucks Do It
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The Bucks would prefer to extend Antetokounmpo, but the prevailing buzz from NBA sources is that he prefers to relocate.
With the dominance of the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder, most believe Antetokounmpo prefers to stay in the Eastern Conference for a better chance of returning to the NBA Finals.
The list of potential offers at B/R continues to grow, but Antetokounmpo can threaten to extend only to suitors he deems worthy. The Cavaliers make a compelling case, and assuming he green-lights the transaction, the Bucks add an All-Star, All-NBA guard (2024-25) with Williams, the No. 17 pick, a shooter with Joe, and a solid reserve center in Sharpe.
The Bucks would do enough research to believe Williams is through the worst of the hamstring issues that sidelined him for much of the year. Last year, Williams averaged 21.6 points, 5.1 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. At only 25, Williams would be the Bucks' centerpiece to build around, and his $41.3 million salary for 2026-27 is less expensive than Mobley's $50.1 million.
If losing Antetokounmpo is inevitable, Williams makes for an intriguing return for the Bucks. Milwaukee can try to pry more draft compensation in the deal, but acquiring a young talent like Williams is a win.
The Bucks lock in a first-apron hard cap at $209.1 million from the expanded traded player exception of Antetokounmpo, taking in Williams, Joe, and Sharpe.
Why the Brooklyn Nets Do It
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The Nets are one of three teams with significant cap room this summer. It's vital to note that Brooklyn will not have its first-round pick in 2027 after sending it to the Houston Rockets as part of the original James Harden trade in 2021. The team would like to compete at a higher level than the recent 20-win debacle, given it's likely to end up with Houston's selection next June.
Intel from the NBA draft combine in Chicago had the Nets interested in Hartenstein. Presumably, the team would build a frontcourt with Michael Porter Jr., Nicolas Claxton, and Hartenstein. Along with Nos. 6 and 33 in the draft, the additions of Wiggins and Merrill provide badly needed shooting to open the floor.
The Nets won't catapult into contention immediately. Still, the roster is better post-trade, and the franchise can look to move out of other contracts to improve its backcourt—Ziaire Williams has a $6.3 million team option, and Terance Mann is due $31.5 million over the next two years. Even Porter could be a trade candidate, provided Brooklyn got meaningful depth in return.
With the uncertainty surrounding the draft's new lottery system, the Nets focus on improving in the here and now.
Brooklyn opts Josh Minott out of his final year at $2.6 million before the trade. Hartenstein and Wiggins are absorbed directly into cap room. Merrill fits into the room mid-level exception.
Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him on X @EricPincus and Bluesky.
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