The Bulls Could Be Involved In The Antetokounmpo Blockbuster After All
This weekend saw a baffling change in the odds for Chicago to land Milwaukee’s superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. They jumped from the 14th-most-likely team to acquire the former NBA Finals MVP to having the best chances in just 12 hours. As the dust settles today, the Bulls have simmered down to having the third- or fourth-best shot on most outlets, but a new intriguing detail has been thrown into the mix. The Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves are currently emerging as the new favorites, but an important addition means that the Bulls are still heavily in play. How do this week’s updates impact Chicago, and what are their chances at landing the Greek Freak?
Not Willing To Give The Best Package
Of the dozens of reports that have surfaced over the last few weeks, certainties are a rarity. One thing that is as close to one as it gets is that Arturas Karnisovas will not ship off his best young assets for a player on the wrong side of 30. Milwaukee has been adamant that they want young, blue-chip talent in exchange for one of the league’s most dominant players, and that they won’t settle for a deal this week that doesn’t meet their standards. Their organization has been transparent about its willingness to wait until the summer to acquire a more lucrative package of assets if needed, and that scenario remains the most likely according to any source. Assuming AK is unwilling to deal away Matas Buzelis or Josh Giddey, they won’t be landing Antetokounmpo, and this is a safe assumption based on his rumored philosophy, made public last week.
The Chicago Bulls are reportedly looking to improve their playoff chances this season, per @EricPincus
“Per multiple league and agent sources, Chicago is looking to improve postseason chances this season while adding young, athletic players to complement its core duo of Josh… pic.twitter.com/AQVdUIp7aa
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) January 27, 2026
Although the Bulls most likely will not be landing a franchise-altering megastar, they could still find their way into the trade. Reports on Monday suggested that a third, and possibly a fourth, team might be needed to help make any blockbuster a reality.
Could Be Involved, But Not Land The Splash
Very similar to Saturday night’s deal between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Sacramento Kings, in which Arturas Karnisovas snagged two low-grade draft picks to settle cap discrepancies, Chicago could once again play that role in the Antetokounmpo deal. Per Joel Lorenzi, NBA writer for The Athletic, they’re willing and able to help facilitate trades between opposing clubs and absorb salary to alleviate monetary mismatches.
The Bulls have signaled to teams that they’re available as a hub to facilitate money for apron and tax-paying teams, per @JoelXLorenzi pic.twitter.com/dEIOJ6hBSt
— SleeperHoops (@Sleeper_Hoops) February 2, 2026
One of the teams blasting up the charts to land the 31-year-old star is Minnesota. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said this afternoon that they need another team or two to help complete the deal. Enter the Chicago Bulls.
Brian Windhorst says the Timberwolves are looking for 3rd or 4th team to help facilitate a Giannis deal: pic.twitter.com/meP8z2fhsV
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) February 2, 2026
Despite not acquiring the most coveted asset in the trade, any swap where the Bulls can walk away with more draft capital or young assets and free up more cap space this summer is a win. Can Karnisovas sneak his way into a bigger deal between opposing franchises like he did Saturday night, or is there still a sliver of hope that he’ll go all-in for Antetokounmpo coming to Chicago?