Should the Raptors risk their future for Giannis Antetokounmpo? Weighing immediate contention against long-term sustainability.
If you were the Toronto Raptors, would you trade your entire draft for Giannis Antetokounmpo? This question has gained traction with recent trade rumors involving the nine-time All-Star. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Milwaukee Bucks star Antetokounmpo is bracing for a possible exit with multiple teams interested ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline.
Antetokounmpo, 31, is averaging 28.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game in the 2025-26 season. His presence would immediately change any team’s outlook. The Raptors, 29-20 and fourth in the Eastern Conference, are firmly in playoff position and would have to consider that level of impact if he becomes available. But would trading all draft capital for him make sense?
Why the Raptors Shouldn’t Trade All Draft Capital for Antetokounmpo
Trading entire draft capital for one player eliminates future flexibility. The Raptors have a core under evaluation in Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett and Scottie Barnes, along with draft assets that still hold long-term value. Toronto’s current record has been progress made from its rebuilding years. While trading for a player like Antetokounmpo would raise their championship odds, factors like his age and injury history should also not be ignored.
He is currently sidelined with a right calf strain and is expected to miss four to six weeks. Calf issues have affected Antetokounmpo before. He missed games earlier this season with a similar problem and was unavailable for the 2024 playoffs and the 2025 All-Star Game because of calf-related injuries. When playing through it, his explosiveness has visibly declined.
Charania reported that several contenders are monitoring Antetokounmpo’s situation and preparing aggressive offers, with teams willing to sacrifice picks for a proven competitor like Antetokounmpo, even for short term gain.
The Bucks superstar remains one of the league’s elite players. He is a two-time MVP and an NBA champion. But age and durability will matter in the long run. And if anything has been made apparent in recent years, teams go only as far as their best players can carry them.
Adding Antetokounmpo would raise Toronto’s championship ceiling instantly. But trading every future draft asset for a star with recurring health concerns could shorten that window. The Raptors can instead use high picks to improve defensive depth or add shooting around their core, and losing that leverage would limit Toronto’s ability to address some of its current weaknesses such as frontcourt depth.
Not to mention that Antetokounmpo is under contract through the 2026-27 season, with the ability to reach unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2027. The Raptors still have a chance to preserve their draft assets and maintain roster flexibility while positioning themselves to pursue him without surrendering picks or young players, provided he remains with the Bucks next season.