Ramona Shelburne Names Teams That Have A Shot To Land Giannis Antetokounmpo (Plus Teams With A Slim Chance)
Dec 5, 2025
Even as Giannis Antetokounmpo is set to miss the next two to four weeks due to a calf injury, NBA fans are buzzing about his potential landing spots this season. As fate would have it, news broke of Antetokounmpo contemplating his future with Milwaukee on the same day that he got injured.
There are several possibilities out there, but ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne has narrowed down the field to a few realistic contenders for Antetokounmpo’s services. Appearing on a recent ESPN LA radio show, Shelburne talked about the heavy price that any team would have to pay in order to land the two-time MVP.
“They [Milwaukee] are not going to trade a guy this good without a significant return,” she said. “We’re talking four or five first-round picks and a good young player.”
John Ireland, the ESPN LA host, then voiced the concern of his local audience. “But the Lakers don’t have four or five first-round picks. So, who does?” Shelburne replied, “Atlanta does. I think Orlando does.”
In addition to draft capital, the two teams that Shelburne mentioned also have a youthful player who could become the focal point of a Bucks rebuild. The Atlanta Hawks could package Trae Young in a potential deal, while the Orlando Magic might have to part with Paolo Banchero or Franz Wagner.
Shelburne, who has been providing sports coverage for ESPN since 2009, went on to name teams that have a smaller chance of acquiring the Greek Freak. Specifically, these teams have solid players that can be dealt to other squads for draft assets, which, in turn, would entice the Bucks. “The Knicks don’t have four or five [picks of their own], but they can get them…Miami can get more picks. Golden State can get more picks.”
It would appear, however, that some teams have virtually zero chance of winning the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes. “There’s a lot of teams that are pick-poor. Obviously, the Clippers can’t get a lot of picks. Denver can’t really get a lot of picks.”
In other words, it’s one thing for fans to draw up a wish list of landing spots, and it’s another thing for teams to have a realistic chance at a once-in-a-lifetime player. As Shelburne correctly points out, an NBA team would have to pay up a fortune for the Bucks to part ways with their cornerstone.
