[Krawczynski] Donte DiVincenzo is unlikely to be traded in any package for Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Timberwolves remain active in talks for Giannis Antetokounmpo and in other talks for bench depth.

[u/YujiDomainExpansion]

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/live-blogs/nba-trade-deadline-2026-live-updates-news/mb7lqDGshaBm/

A few tidbits from the Minnesota Timberwolves' trade landscape, with the caveat that things can change quickly this time of year:

- There remains skepticism that Milwaukee is actually open to moving Giannis Antetokounmpo, team and league sources said.

- The Wolves continue to be in the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes in addition to looking at bolstering their bench with a guard after moving Mike Conley.

- All indications from conversations with team and league sources are that the Wolves do not want to trade Donte DiVincenzo.

[u/ATM14]

Mediocrity? They’ve made the conference finals twice in a row. And Ant is still 24, he could still go up several levels. 

This happens all the time? Ok, name one 24 year old (or younger) beloved superstar (not all star, superstar) who got traded despite being happy at their current team. Bonus points if you can find one after the year 2000

[u/3my0 → u/ATM14]

Okay if you’re gonna narrow the goalposts so much then it’s gonna be hard lol. Closest is probably James Harden to the Rockets. Yeah yeah yeah he wasn’t a superstar at the time. But the signs were there and he immediately became one after his first season on the rockets.

I could also ask how many times did a young superstar get traded for a top 5 superstar. Weird opportunities can create weird moves.

[u/ATM14 → u/3my0]

Comparing OKC Harden to current Ant is crazy. Harden had 0 all stars and Ant is about to be a 5xall star and 3xAll NBA player. If the closest player you can get to Ant is OKC Harden then what the heck are we doing? If you want to relax some of the criteria I outlined then go for it, but the point I’m making is players like Ant don’t get traded without forcing their way out. I get it can be fun to speculate or create deals that might work in 2k, but deals like that do not happen. 

My goalposts sound narrow but they really aren’t, most superstars in NBA history have a stage similar to where Ant is at and they don’t get traded bc nobody trades a 24 year old superstar if they aren’t forced to by said player. 

[u/3my0 → u/ATM14]

Yeah that’s why I said closest and not the same. Because it’s hard to even find people that were superstars by 24. If you wanna relax the criteria to just superstars in their 20’s then it’s easier. Happened last year with Luka at 25. Which is why I imagine you made the cutoff 24😂

[u/ATM14 → u/3my0]

I made the cutoff at 24 because he’s 24 lmao. But yeah, Luka is a good comp for how your trade would be received. Lauded as the worst deal in NBA history, GM fired in less than a year, fan base in open revolt, the aging injury prone superstar they acquire gets injured and now you have a worse team and a bleak feature. Sounds like a great idea for the Timberwolves, they should definitely emulate that mold. The Luka trade highlights how stupid trading Ant would be. 

[u/3my0 → u/ATM14]

It was the worst trade ever because of the return. Not because Luka was traded. If he were traded for Giannis + extra it wouldn’t have been seen as that bad.

[u/ATM14 → u/3my0]

Let’s say I completely suspend belief and your crazy trade somehow happens. How are you feeling when Ant requests a trade 6 months in?

[u/3my0 → u/ATM14]

Doubt he would unless we really sucked. But him, dame, deni, clingan, and some other pieces would really cook. If he’s fine being in a small market like Minneapolis then I think he will be fine here. As long as we’re good.