The Minnesota Timberwolves have quietly but aggressively positioned themselves in the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes, yet one reality continues to hang over every discussion. If Minnesota is going to land the Milwaukee Bucks superstar, it will not happen through a clean or conventional deal. According to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated, it will require nothing less than a four-team trade structure to even make the framework viable.
Speaking on the Open Floor podcast, Mannix made it clear that Minnesota’s challenge is not motivation, but structure.
“Now, the Minnesota side of it, Minnesota is out there hustling. From what I was told, Minnesota needs four teams involved in this deal. Not just three, they need four, because I think that Milwaukee really likes Jaden McDaniels. They think he can be kind of a centerpiece young player in that deal. But Minnesota is limited to what they can offer in terms of draft picks.”
“They need to get more teams involved that can satisfy the demand of the Bucks to have multiple first-round picks in this deal. They’re hustling, they’re working, they’re trying to find a solution to that problem. I don’t know that they’ve found it. In fact, I know they haven’t found it yet, as we record this at 3:45 Eastern on Tuesday.”
“I know from what I was told, four teams have to be involved for this deal to get done basically between Minnesota and Milwaukee. That’s why I like, could something happen before Thursday, three Eastern? Yeah. But right now, is it trending more towards the Bucks punting on this decision to the offseason? I would say yes to that as well.”
The difficulty is compounded by Milwaukee’s leverage. The Bucks are under no obligation to rush. If the right package does not materialize, pushing the decision to the offseason remains a realistic outcome. That option becomes even more appealing if teams like Minnesota cannot meet the pick threshold now. Waiting allows Milwaukee to reopen talks in a broader market while keeping control of the process.
Still, the Timberwolves remain intriguing dark horses for reasons beyond trade mechanics. Giannis Antetokounmpo’s reported focus on legacy and narrative matters here. Pairing with Anthony Edwards offers a long competitive window and a chance to build something historic in a market that has never won a championship.
From a basketball standpoint, the fit is obvious. From a storytelling standpoint, it checks many of the same boxes that once made New York and Miami appealing.
Minnesota has also taken tangible steps to prepare for a blockbuster move. Recent trade has seen salary shedding, which has reduced tax pressure and created additional flexibility to absorb money in a larger deal. Those moves only make sense if something bigger is being lined up. While they do not solve the draft pick problem on their own, they remove financial obstacles that often kill deals before they begin.
The reality, though, remains harsh. Without a fourth team willing to step in and provide real draft value, Minnesota cannot get this done. That is the issue. It is why insiders remain skeptical of a pre-deadline breakthrough and why momentum currently favors a summer resolution.
If Giannis does move before the deadline, Minnesota is expected to be involved. But involvement does not equal success. For the Timberwolves, landing Antetokounmpo is less about desire and more about architecture. Until a four-team solution emerges, this pursuit remains complicated, fragile, and very much unfinished.
