With the recent buzz around Giannis Antetokounmpo’s potential transfer to the Golden State Warriors, it’s important to analyze his fit on the team.
Golden State Warriors fans are understandably excited about the idea, as the arrival of Giannis Antetokounmpo would bring a whole new meaning to the term “Superteam”. Giannis will be a free agent come the 2021 offseason, so whether he stays with the Milwaukee Bucks or leaves for an interested team such as the Warriors or the Miami Heat will be his decision.
That said, the 25-year-old star’s decision will probably ride on the outcome of this year’s finals. The Bucks are expected to compete with the LA Lakers in the NBA Finals, provided that the NBA does return as expected in late July in Orlando. Since Giannis will be more likely to leave in search of a title elsewhere if his team fails to win a championship this year, the Bucks are an easy target for Warriors fans to root against.
Assuming Giannis makes his way to San Francisco come fall, how would he fit on the Warriors team? With Klay Thompson being a likely candidate to be traded for Giannis in the order to make things work, the two scenarios of whether Giannis would join the team with or without Klay offer very different implications.
Scenario one: Giannis joins Steph and Klay
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In order to satisfy the contracts of all three superstars, some serious sacrifices will have to be made. Bleacher Report’s Preston Ellis proposed the exchange of Andrew Wiggins, the Warriors’ 2020 first-round pick, the Minnesota Timberwolves’ 2021 first-round pick, and the Warriors’ 2022 first-round pick for Giannis Antetokounmpo. This move would be the dream scenario for the Warriors.
The Golden State Warriors will be a much more lethal team if Giannis joins both Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. On the Bucks, Giannis dominates the power forward position, but his ability to take on the roles of other positions proves him to be a well-rounded player. Before the season was suspended due to the league’s COVID-19-induced hiatus, Giannis was averaging 29.6 points per game, 13.7 rebounds per game, and 2.0 combined blocks and steals.
Thanks to his unstoppable drives to the basket, his true shooting percentage of 60.8 is impressive as well. Giannis would be able to take the pressure off of Steph and Klay, and his presence on the team would be comparable to the dynamic that the team had with Kevin Durant.
Scenario two: Giannis joins GSW without Klay
It’s very possible that the deal mentioned earlier won’t be enough and Klay Thompson would be the price to pay for Giannis. There are mixed responses to this idea, but many are saying that it would be worth it, including NBA Insider Tom Haberstroh. Herein, Haberstroh seems to make it clear that if Klay is what it takes to acquire the Greek Freak, the deal is a no-brainer.
If Giannis joins the team without Klay, however, the team’s road to another title will be much less secure. For one, losing Thompson will change the core dynamic of the Warriors since the team builds around the combined talent and energy of the Splash Brothers. Moreover, there is still Draymond Green to consider as it’s likely for their roles on the court to clash.
In spite of everything, Giannis Antetokounmpo is undoubtedly a great player that will dominate and produce on any team. His well-rounded game and wide skill set as an athlete will make it easy for him to adapt. For now, there is still a championship that stands in the way of Giannis and the Warriors.