The Minnesota Timberwolves are in the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes as Thursday’s NBA Trade Deadline approaches, and they made a move on Tuesday that might be a prelude for an Antetokounmpo acquisition.
The Timberwolves sent veteran guard Mike Conley Jr. to the Chicago Bulls and a 2026 first-round pick swap to the Detroit Pistons for nothing in return, per ESPN’s Shams Charania. The deal puts them $2.5 million under the first apron, which allows them to absorb more salary than they send out in a trade as long as they stay under it, via NBA salary cap analyst Yossi Gozlan.
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Meanwhile, Minnesota is one of four frontrunners to land Antetokounmpo as the Milwaukee Bucks shop him, per The Athletic. The Timberwolves could have gotten Bulls guard Coby White in Tuesday’s trade, but they chose to save money instead, per ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
Timberwolves-Bucks Mock Trade
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34).Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
(Troy Taormina-Imagn Images)
After the Conley trade, Minnesota has more than enough financial flexibility to pull off a deadline deal for Antetokounmpo. However, it likely needs to have other teams send assets to Milwaukee too, as it doesn’t have first-round picks or pick swaps in 2027 or 2029.
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CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn created a mock trade that sent Antetokounmpo to the Timberwolves on Monday:
“Timberwolves receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Myles Turner, Kyle Kuzma, Bobby Portis, Julian Phillips
[Charlotte]Hornets receive:Â Jaden McDaniels
Bucks receive: Anfernee Simons, Naz Reid, Zach Collins, Kevin Huerter, Grant Williams, Sam Hauser, Dalen Terry, Joan Beringer, Terence Shannon Jr., Bones Hyland, five first-round picks (2026 via Hornets top-four protected, unprotected 2027, 2026 via Celtics, 2027 via Mavericks top-2 protected, 2027 via Bulls top-10 protected, top-eight protected in 2028 and 2029, reverts to 2029 and 2030 second-round picks thereafter, 2029 least favorable of Jazz/Cavaliers/Timberwolves), 2028 first-round swap rights (via Timberwolves).”
However, the Celtics traded Simons to the Bulls for big man Nikola Vucevic on Tuesday, and the Bulls sent Huerter to the Pistons in the Conley deal. Boston likely won’t want Gobert after acquiring Vucevic, but the general framework of the Bucks receiving a boatload of assets from several teams while veterans are swapped for salary-matching still works.
The key for Minnesota is to pair Antetokounmpo with fellow superstar Anthony Edwards. Antetokounmpo (calf) is averaging 28 points on 64.5 percent shooting (39.5 percent 3-point) with 10 rebounds and 5.6 assists over 29.2 minutes this season, while Edwards is averaging 29.7 points on 49.4 percent shooting (40.7 percent 3-point) with 5.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists over 35.4 minutes.
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This deal would allow Antetokounmpo to chase a championship alongside Edwards while Milwaukee starts its rebuild.
Related: Giannis Antetokounmpo-Nets Report Emerges Amid Trade Rumors
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Feb 4, 2026, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.