While all of the Portland Trail Blazers’ focus is currently on their first-round series with the San Antonio Spurs in their return to the playoffs for the first time since 2020–21, the organization is still planning for what’s to come.
The rebuild has evidently started to turn the corner, and according to a recent report by Bill Oram, that has the front office ready to get aggressive as early as this summer with Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo as their target.
If Antetokounmpo is willing to sign an extension in Portland, then it sounds as if GM Joe Cronin is prepared to throw his hat into the ring of suitors this offseason.
“The Blazers are prepared to make a pitch for Giannis Antetokounmpo as long as he is willing to sign an extension, but are not likely to limit their options to Lillard’s former Milwaukee teammate,”
The 31-year-old Antetokounmpo averaged 27.6 PPG, 9.8 RPG, and 5.4 APG in just 36 games played this season for the Bucks. He has two years left on the three-year, $175,369,698 contract extension signed to stay in Milwaukee in 2023, which includes a player option after the 2026–27 campaign.
With the Trail Blazers’ young nucleus of Deni Avdija, Shaedon Sharpe, Scoot Henderson, Toumani Camara, and Donovan Clingan among others on the rise, it makes plenty of sense for Portland to take advantage and go big-game hunting while they possess the flexibility to do so.
Not only will they have that flexibility, they also have the necessary draft capital and players to meet the potential asking price the Bucks are seeking for their superstar.
Ultimately, however, it all comes down to whether Antetokounmpo would actually have any interest in heading to Rip City or not.
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