Giannis To OKC? Jeff Teague Thinks The Thunder Could Pull It Off
Jan 30, 2026
By now, NBA fans’ social media is flooded with reports of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s imminent landing spot. Until the Milwaukee Bucks actually pull the trigger, the news cycle (or, perhaps more aptly, the rumor mill) won’t stop.
Warriors. Heat. Wolves. Warriors. Heat. Wolves. Repeat.
Out of nowhere, player-turned-podcaster Jeff Teague broke the monotony with a trade suggestion that is simultaneously wild and plausible. According to Teague, who actually spent his last NBA season playing for the Bucks’ 2021 championship squad, there’s a team that can shock the basketball world by acquiring his former teammate.
“OKC could really shake things up,” Teague said on the Thursday edition of his “520 in the Morning” podcast.
With a straight face, Teague explained how the defending champions could add Antetokounmpo to the mix. “OKC can legit say, we wanna give up whoever makes good money like [Isaiah] Hartenstein. They can be like, we just wanna give up Chet and all our picks.”
Amidst all the trade proposals that have been floated around in recent weeks, not too many people have talked about the immense stash of draft assets that Thunder GM Sam Presti has put together for years. With the Bucks about to enter a rebuild as they pivot from the era of the Greek Freak, a package of multiple first-round picks would indeed be enticing.
A superstar of Antetokounmpo’s caliber, of course, would fetch a quality player or two. The Bucks front office would be well within their rights to ask for a talent like Holmgren, who averages 17.9 ppg and has emerged as a leading candidate for Defensive Player of the Year. Hartenstein, who also provides toughness and inside scoring, could be included in this hypothetical package as well.
The counterargument to Teague’s proposal is the Thunder’s chemistry, which has already proven to be championship-caliber. Breaking up the band midway through the season of their title defense might end up being an unnecessary risk for OKC. Still, there are a precious few teams that can even come close to the amount of tradable assets in the Thunder’s coffers.
In other words, Teague might be on to something here. OKC can pull off an Antetokounmpo trade. The question is, would they actually pick up the phone and dial Milwaukee?
