Nets stockpile draft picks with eye on potential Giannis Antetokounmpo pursuit
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Brooklyn, N.Y. — The Brooklyn Nets are keeping former MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo on their radar and could make a serious offer to the Milwaukee Bucks as soon as the 2026-27 season, according to multiple league sources cited by The New York Post.
The Post’s Brian Lewis reported that Brooklyn has long viewed Antetokounmpo as a transformative target and intends to be competitive again within three seasons. “Then this is their moment,” a league source told the newspaper. “Really depends on if they decide that their aimless tank is over. They could sure make the best offer.”
Draft capital gives Brooklyn flexibility
The Nets control a sizable collection of future first-round selections, a stockpile that sets them apart from most teams. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on The Hoop Collective podcast that Brooklyn currently holds 10 tradable first-rounders, a figure that will rise to 11 on draft night. “I think Brooklyn will seriously consider making an offer,” Windhorst noted.
One source told Lewis that forward Michael Porter Jr. would probably headline any outgoing package. However, an assistant general manager speculated the Nets might prefer to keep Porter while using Nic Claxton and Terance Mann as salary-matching pieces.
Possible trade framework
An Eastern Conference assistant GM added that Brooklyn could, in theory, offer up to five future first-round picks, retain this year’s selection, and shut Antetokounmpo down for the remainder of a season if a tank became part of the strategy.
Whether Brooklyn ultimately moves forward with a bid remains uncertain, but executives around the league believe the organization’s groundwork — headlined by substantial draft capital and tradable contracts — is already in place if the two-time MVP becomes available.
Source: Hoops Wire
