The NBA superstar recently requested a trade from the Milwaukee Bucks -- a franchise he spent 13 years with. Now, the Bucks will look to find him a new home ahead of the NBA's February 5th trade deadline.
When ESPN NBA Insider Shams Charania reported that superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is ready to move on from the Milwaukee Bucks, it sent shockwaves across the sport.
For ever how long Antetokounmpo has been a star in this league, there have been not-so-subtle pleas from media and fans alike attempting to nudge him in a different direction other than Milwaukee.
Yet Antetokounmpo held strong and affirmed his commitment to the Bucks for 13 years, and helped the franchise capture their first NBA Championship since 1971.
When it comes to Antetokounmpo though, many seem to think that the ideal options for him range from the New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors, or Miami Heat.
But did anyone ever think about the Charlotte Hornets?
You know, it’s rude to laugh, right?
Think about it though. Why is it so out of the question?
Word on the street is that the Hornets are one of, if not, the most exciting young teams in the NBA and if you want to jumpstart the rebuild there’s no better piece to add than Antetokounmpo.
Think about what General Manager Jeff Peterson said six months ago when the Hornets social media team let you take a peak behind the curtain in a YouTube series called “Reel Access.”
"There's going to be a time that we cash in,” he said. “We take all of our chips, assets, whatever it is, and we're gonna go get that guy. That's gonna happen at some point, but right now we have to stay very committed to our process. But to do that, you gotta lay the foundation with winners."
Antetokounmpo carries one of the more remarkable resumes in NBA history as a two-time MVP, one-time Finals MVP, a Defensive Player of the Year, and a nine-time All Star.
And just the kind of player that you go all in for.
To this day, the Hornets carry a myriad of trade pieces – including 24 draft picks over the next seven seasons, $30 million in expiring contracts, and your pick of the litter in young talent.
Surely, there will be untouchables such as Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller, but the rest of the roster just may be fair game.
The excitement for Charlotte basketball has been at an all-time high since it returned to the Queen City more than 20 years ago, and if Peterson means what he said, that excitement very well may parlay into a Hornets playoff run.
Now, you could be asking “why would Giannis even want to go to Charlotte?” which is an incredibly fair point.
You rarely see NBA players with no trade clauses in their contracts, and Giannis is not an exception. However, there seems to be an unwritten rule with superstars and longtime franchises that the team wants to do right by him and send him to a preferred destination.
In that case, a Giannis-to-Charlotte deal may very well be dead in the water. Or both sides can do some convincing.
It’s hard to imagine that Charlotte, with the ugly history this franchise has, has been on Antetokounmpo’s radar during this time. But we’ve seen crazier things happen in this league.
Who thought DeMarcus Cousins was going to get traded to New Orleans? Who thought that Donovan Mitchell was getting traded to Cleveland? And who thought that Damian Lillard was getting traded to Milwaukee?
For years, this team has consistently skated by, with a myriad of questionable roster decisions. But for the first time, it finally feels like the Hornets’ brass has a strong idea of what they want their team to look like.
Adding a player like Antetokounmpo? It may sound crazy to the casual fan. But for the Hornets, it should be a no-brainer.
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