Dallas just became a real threat in the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes.
The Milwaukee Bucks already had enough to worry about this offseason without another team jumping into the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade conversation.
Then the Dallas Mavericks went and hired Masai Ujiri as their new team president and alternate governor on Monday, and the list of potential suitors for the two-time MVP got a little longer.
ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel was quick to flag what makes this hire different from any other front office shakeup around the league.
"It is worth noting that Masai Ujiri has an incredibly strong bond and relationship with several players around the league, including Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kawhi Leonard," Siegel wrote on X.
That personal connection between Ujiri and Antetokounmpo is not new, but it matters a lot more now that Ujiri has a team with assets and a reason to be aggressive.
Why This Matters for Milwaukee
The Bucks finished 32-50 this season, their worst record in years, and the trade speculation around Antetokounmpo wore on the entire organization from top to bottom.
Even in a year shortened by injuries that limited him to 36 games, Antetokounmpo still averaged 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game.
The production was never the issue. The direction of the franchise was.
Antetokounmpo is set to make $58.5 million next season with a $62.8 million player option for 2027-28, and he becomes eligible to sign a four-year, $275 million extension on October 1.
If he declines that extension, the Bucks will almost certainly have to trade him. Milwaukee has already explored what the return market looks like, with teams like the Warriors, Heat, Timberwolves, Knicks and Trail Blazers all believed to have interest.
What Could Dallas Even Offer?
The Mavericks went 26-56 this season and do not control their own first-round pick for the next four years.
That alone would seem to take them out of the running, but Dallas still has veteran contracts and young talent that could make a package worth discussing.
Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington, Daniel Gafford and Naji Marshall all carry trade value.
Dereck Lively II, who missed most of this season after December foot surgery, could be a name that comes up too.
The salary matching would require multiple contracts bundled together and probably a third team to help bridge the gap.
It is not a clean or simple deal.
But Ujiri has a history of pulling off trades that other executives would not touch, and his personal relationship with Antetokounmpo gives Dallas an edge that most other teams cannot match.
A Growing List of Suitors
For the Bucks, each new team that enters the conversation is a double-edged sword.
More competition could drive up the return if Milwaukee decides to trade Antetokounmpo, but it also makes the situation harder to control.
Players have more influence than ever in where they land.
If Antetokounmpo decides he wants to play for Ujiri in Dallas alongside Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg, who averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists across 70 games, Milwaukee might not have much say in where the best offer actually comes from.