Timberwolves fans were left confused when Gianni’s suitor sent a message no one wants to hear

With each passing hour, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s lottery picks become a little more interesting, and Minnesota Timberwolves fans are eagerly awaiting any updates.

After trading Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Atlanta Hawks for Kristaps Porzingis, the Golden State Warriors appear to be out of the running for Giannis. One less lover for Giannis, that must be good news for Wolves, right? But there’s more: according to Shams Charania, the Warriors don’t believe the Milwaukee Bucks will trade Giannis before Thursday at 3:00 PM EST.

“The Warriors’ pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo is over. They have clearly moved on from these moves. My understanding is that the Warriors made a tough offer last week and have had discussions with the Bucks this week. But the Warriors have come to believe over the last 24 hours that the Bucks would not move their two-time MVP at this trade deadline. We’ll see if that’s true,” Shams said.

It seems likely that the Bucks will retain Giannis, but things could change

This is complicated. Shams didn’t outright say the Bucks won’t trade Giannis — he simply said that’s what the Warriors believe. However, it appears Giannis remains on the wall. Previously, Marc Stein reports this that the Bucks could rely on luck in the draft lottery to convince Giannis to stay. Additionally, Brian Windhorst said he doesn’t see much momentum toward Milwaukee making a Giannis move before the deadline.

The Wolves’ dream of landing Giannis isn’t over yet, but it looks like it’s hanging by a thread. Still, things can change in an instant this time of year, and stranger things have certainly happened.

Be that as it may, the past week has been a rollercoaster ride for Wolves fans, and Shams’ latest comments don’t provide the clarity they need.

Even if you’re not a Timberwolves fan, Shams’ comments have to be a little disappointing. It’s clear that Giannis doesn’t want to stay in Milwaukee, and at this point everyone is just waiting to see where his next home will be. But I digress.

Again, Shams didn’t completely close the door on a trade. However, he made it seem less likely. Minnesota’s path to trading for Giannis has always been complicated. This is true even after we got under the first tax moratorium by trading Mike Conley.

The reality is that the Bucks will likely prioritize picks if and when they enter a post-Giannis era, and the Wolves cannot meet this need. As such, the clearest path to making a trade work is to involve a third team (likely the Portland Trail Blazers). In all likelihood, the Wolves would have to part ways with Jaden McDaniels and Julius Randle to make a trade happen.

However, if this saga extends into the offseason, the Wolves will gain access to two additional first-round picks. This makes a transaction easier. At the same time, several other teams will gain access to more choices.

This could ultimately be a blessing in disguise for the Wolves. Regardless, it’s fair to be disappointed after Shams’ comments, as earlier this week it seemed like there was some real momentum for the Wolves to make an unlikely trade for Giannis.