Giannis Antetokounmpo Next Team Odds: Spurs, Rockets, Raptors In Mix

Newsweek

3 days ago

The Bucks are slight favorites to hold onto Giannis Antetokounmpo, but both San Antonio and Houston have shorter than 5-to-1 odds to be the Greek Freak's next destination.
The Bucks are slight favorites to hold onto Giannis Antetokounmpo, but both San Antonio and Houston have shorter than 5-to-1 odds to be the Greek Freak's next destination.
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Following a one-sided loss to the Pacers in the first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs and a torn Achilles that will sideline Damian Lillard until next summer, the Milwaukee Bucks are likely in for a summer of massive change.
Obviously, the biggest question is whether we've seen the last of superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo in a Milwaukee jersey. ESPN's Shams Charania reported on May 12 that Giannis was "open-minded about exploring whether his best long-term fit is remaining in Milwaukee or playing elsewhere."
We're still a long way from Antetokounmpo -- who is under contract with the Bucks through '27-28, with a player option after the '26-27 season -- formally requesting a trade out of Milwaukee.
At the same time, it's fair to assume that sportsbooks like DraftKings wouldn't be offering odds on his next team (or making them as short as they are) if there weren't at least some smoke here.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Next Team Odds
The odds below come from DraftKings (as of June 4).
Fine print, from DK: "First Regular Season minute played to be for which NBA team? [2025-26 only]"
Note: While DraftKings offers odds for all 30 teams in this market, we're listing the eight that currently have the shortest odds (20-to-1 or shorter).
Bucks (-140)
Spurs (+380)
Rockets (+450)
Raptors (+800)
Mavericks (+1200)
Thunder (+1300)
Knicks (+1600)
Nets (+2000)
Giannis Antetokounmpo Next Team Breakdown, Prediction
The first question here is a two-parter: A) How much stock do you put in the previously mentioned ESPN report on Giannis being open to a move? B) Is Milwaukee ready to begin a long post-Giannis rebuild?
Starting with the first piece of this, yes, it's easy to imagine the Greek Freak being ready to start over with a new franchise. When he previously expressed concerns about the viability of the Bucks roster, Milwaukee ownership/management heard him loud and clear and took action.
They acquired PG Jrue Holiday from the Pelicans in 2020, then went on to win the NBA Finals the following season. Milwaukee also took action in 2023 amid rumblings about Antetokounmpo, acquiring Damian Lillard from Portland.
But this summer, if you haven't heard, there's no realistic path to upgrading the Bucks roster the way they did with the deals for Holiday and Lillard. At the risk of oversimplifying things, that -- in a nutshell -- is why there's a real chance Giannis could be on the move this summer.
As for part B of this question, if* Giannis decides he wants out and is willing to play hardball to force a trade, the answer is probably "who cares?"
*As of June 4, this is still a big "if."
It has, however, repeatedly been proven that when an NBA star of Giannis's stature pushes for an exit, there's little to nothing his current team can do (see Butler, Jimmy for the best/most recent example).
Best Bet On Giannis Antetokounmpo's Next Team: Toronto Raptors
When betting on a potential trade that may or may not materialize, I recommend looking at the options with larger payouts than what you'll get if Giannis goes to the Spurs (+380) or Rockets (+450).
That brings me to the Raptors, whose odds have moved from 10-to-1 to 8-to-1 in the last 48 hours. The fact that Toronto's odds in this market are shorter than they were earlier this week doesn't guarantee anything, but that development shouldn't be ignored, either.
I don't expect the Spurs, who have two young stars in Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle, plus the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, to commit to the shake-up necessary to land a player like Giannis this offseason.
The biggest reason not to bet on the Rockets to land Giannis is the fact that they have the shortest odds to get Kevin Durant (+225 at DK as of June 4).
Why The Raptors Are An Intriguing Destination For Giannis
I don't just like Toronto as a Giannis destination by default or because of the enticing price, though.
An underrated storyline this summer is that Toronto Team President Masai Ujiri is entering a contract year, as his deal with the team is set to expire next summer. The exec who brought Kawhi Leonard (and a ring) to Toronto in 2018-19 is a good bet to make a splash of some sort this summer for a franchise that hasn't been to the playoffs since 2022.
More importantly, the Raptors have a 23-year-old All-Star in Scottie Barnes, a proven veteran wing in Brandon Ingram and three solid pieces under 27 years old in RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and Gradey Dick.
At mininum, there's more than enough smoke here (including recent reports by the Toronto Star's Doug Smith and ESPN's Brian Windhorst) to justify a small bet, like 0.25 or 0.10 units, on the Raptors landing Giannis at +800.
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