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Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks reacts to a dunk during the first half of a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Giannis Antetokounmpo broke his silence after a week of mounting trade speculation ended with him remaining in Milwaukee — a development that forced the Minnesota Timberwolves to pivot despite aggressive internal positioning ahead of the deadline.
The Milwaukee Bucks superstar posted a clip from The Wolf of Wall Street on social media, featuring Leonardo DiCaprio’s character Jordan Belfort delivering his now-iconic declaration that he was “not leaving” his firm amid federal scrutiny.
“You know what — I’m not leaving. I’m not leaving. I’m not f— leaving,” DiCaprio’s character proclaims in the scene, igniting cheers from his staff.
The Bucks star paired the video with a pointed caption: “Legends don’t chase. They attract.”
The message landed as Minnesota and several other contenders reached the same conclusion: the Bucks were not prepared to move their two-time MVP at the trade deadline.
Timberwolves Positioned Aggressively for Giannis Opening
Behind the scenes, Minnesota’s front office had positioned itself aggressively in anticipation of a potential opening.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Timberwolves made multiple core veterans available — including Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert — after shedding Mike Conley Jr.’s salary to slip below the first luxury-tax apron.
That maneuver was significant. Dropping below the apron restored Minnesota’s ability to aggregate contracts and absorb more incoming salary — a critical mechanism in any Giannis-level deal. In practical terms, it allowed the Timberwolves to construct a compliant, star-sized package rather than being limited to one-for-one swaps.
What Minnesota ultimately lacked, however, was the additional draft capital required to meaningfully elevate its offer relative to other suitors. While the Timberwolves could match salary and talent, they could not outflank the market on picks.
Minnesota Makes Secondary Move, Signals End of Giannis Chase
With Antetokounmpo effectively off the board, Minnesota pivoted to a smaller deadline-day transaction that closed the book on its Giannis pursuit.
ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported that the Timberwolves sent Rob Dillingham, Leonard Miller, and four second-round picks to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Ayo Dosunmu and Julian Phillips.
The move marked a swift end to Minnesota’s brief investment in Dillingham. On draft night in 2024, the Timberwolves surrendered an unprotected 2031 first-round pick and a 2030 pick swap to select him eighth overall. Less than a year later, they attached four additional second-rounders to move on — a clear signal that the franchise has shifted away from a long-term developmental timeline.
Ayo Dosunmu Adds Win-Now Depth and Flexibility
Dosunmu arrives as a plug-and-play rotation guard on an expiring $7.5 million contract, averaging 15.0 points while shooting 45.1 percent from three, with 3.6 assists and 3.0 rebounds.
ESPN salary cap analyst Bobby Marks highlighted the contractual upside, noting Minnesota now controls Dosunmu’s Bird rights — a rare advantage for a team operating near the cap.
Dosunmu joins Naz Reid and Bones Hyland on a bench that projects as a viable eight-man postseason rotation. While the Giannis door is now closed until at least the summer, Minnesota exits the deadline more flexible, more competitive — and still positioned to strike if the league’s biggest domino eventually falls.
Alder Almo is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com. He has more than 20 years of experience in local and international media, including broadcast, print and digital. He previously covered the Knicks for Empire Sports Media and the NBA for Off the Glass. Alder is from the Philippines and is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey. More about Alder Almo
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