Former NBA star Paul Pierce is doubtful the Toronto Raptors would be a sensible move for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is the hottest property on the trade market, if he goes ahead and makes the decision to leave the Milwaukee Bucks this offseason.
At the weekend, NBA insider Brian Windhorst claimed the Toronto Raptors are trying to land a ‘big fish’, and there are none bigger than Giannis.
The Raptors’ admiration for the Bucks star goes back to the 2013 draft where they tried to trade up to land him.
Could a dream move for the Raptors take place? Former NBA star Paul Pierce says he is doubtful.
Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty ImagesPaul Pierce on Giannis Antetokounmpo to Toronto Raptors
During a segment on FS1’s Speak, former Celtics star Paul Pierce expressed his doubts that Giannis Antetokounmpo would turn the Toronto Raptors into a title team, capable of repeating their 2019 success.
He explained that trading for Giannis could leave the Raptors too light to build around him, asking how they could ‘keep pieces’.
Pierce explained: “Scotty Barnes is the centerpiece over there. Y’all coming after him.
Suggesting what the Bucks may say, he added: “‘You know, as a matter of fact, ‘we need a little more than Scottie Barnes. We need RJ Barrett too’.”
Pierce continued: “So now you implement Giannis, and you pairing with Brandon Ingram, and you say, is that enough to win a championship in the east? Probably not. So it doesn’t make the most sense to me.
“I have some other teams that he make better sense, as far as getting Giannis, to a place where he could possibly win a championship, like where I’m not sure if that’s out East, for instance, Giannis to Houston wouldn’t be bad.”
Pierce did say that he could see one aspect that would tempt Giannis Antetokounmpo to Toronto, arguing that it is an attractive city for him to want to live in.
He said: “Toronto is great, I think that’s a great place, better than Milwaukee,
“That’s the only way I can see him wanting to go there, because he wants to live there, because he doesn’t put him any closer to a championship.”
Paul Pierce backs Minnesota Timberwolves as destination for Giannis Antetokounmpo
Paul Pierce believes the Minnesota Timberwolves should be the dream destination for Giannis Antetokounmpo in his efforts to add to the championship he won in 2021.
The Timberwolves just came up short in the playoffs, losing the Western Conference Finals for a second successive year, and Pierce believes their roster needs a revamp.
“Minnesota makes the most sense for him. You pair him with Ant Man, give us some of them young pieces that they got over there.”
Asked about potentially depleting their roster, Pierce believes as long as Anthony Edwards remains, they will have a chance.
“I got a three year window with Giannis and Ant Man, though, I’ll take that.”