The Anthony Edwards factor behind Giannis Antetokounmpo’s trade interest to the Timberwolves

With the NBA trade deadline a week away from the Feb. 5 cutoff, The Minnesota Timberwolves have emerged as a surprise entrant in the growing Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes.. ESPN insider Brian Windhorst added fuel to the speculation Thursday by revealing a comment about Antetokounmpo’s level of interest in Minnesota.

Windhorst dealt with an expanding market for Milwaukee Bucks star on Thursday’s Get Up, first laying out what was found suitors such as the New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat could offer before turning his attention to the Timberwolves.

“Sheams mentioned the Minnesota Timberwolves. He didn’t mention it for no reason, this is something I understand Giannis is interested in,” Windhorst said. “The Timberwolves don’t have draft picks and they don’t have young players. They have to focus on veterans, but that’s something we have to keep an eye on as well.”

The comment was the first time Antetokounmpo’s personal interest has been directly linked to Minnesota in the current rumor cycle. ESPN’s Shems Charania previously reported that Antetokounmpo is “ready for a new home,” a development that has sparked aggressive positioning of multiple candidates as Milwaukee evaluates whether to act now or wait until the offseason.

.@WindhorstESPN there’s more on Giannis and where he could land ✍ pic.twitter.com/5ZOvOkUGPL

— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) January 29, 2026

Asset constraints complicate the Timberwolves’ Giannis Antetokounmpo offer

Minnesota’s potential pursuit is complicated by limited draft capital, forcing any realistic bid to focus on established rotation players rather than future assets. That reality is in line with a recent report by HoopsHipe’s Michael Scott, who detailed it The Timberwolves’ inside view on their top contributors.

“While teams around the league have called up Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reed and Donte Divincenz, league sources say, the Timberwolves have a high regard for those players and are resistant to parting ways with them,” Scotto said. “McDaniels was considered virtually untouchable unless it was for a star like Giannis Antetokounmpo,” league sources told HoopsHipe.

Additional reporting by Mark Stein and Jake Fisher supports Windhorst’s assessment that Minnesota’s involvement is more than speculative. In their latest edition of The Stein Line, the pair reported that the Timberwolves are rarely mentioned alongside Miami, Golden State and New York, league sources believe. they deserve inclusion in the discussion.

“The Timberwolves are rarely mentioned as a Giannis candidate on par with Miami, Golden State and New York … but multiple sources we spoke with say they should be,” Stein and Fisher wrote.

Despite Minnesota’s limited draft capital — with little to offer beyond a potential 2028 first-round pick swap — Stein and Fischer reported that Antetokounmpo has quietly been on the Timberwolves’ mind since the offseason. League sources have cited the allure of pairing with Anthony Edwards as a motivating factor, leading to back-channel discussions in recent months that have given Minnesota legitimate status as a potential landing spot despite clear obstacles.

Giannis’ pursuit of a trade could force Minnesota to rethink key things

Stein and Fisher also detailed how Minnesota’s attitude toward key players could change in a true star scenario. The Timberwolves previously considered Jaden McDaniels untouchable when Kevin Durant explored a trade from Phoenix to Minnesota, but league sources believe that position will change in the Antetokounmpo deal.

“The Wolves made Jaden McDaniels untouchable when Kevin Durant was interested in being traded from Phoenix to Minnesota to pair with Edwards, but they would be expected to budge on the Antetokounmpo deal,” Stein and Fisher wrote, “especially given the limitations of Minnesota’s current ability to select any draft offer.”

Minnesota’s potential pursuit remains limited by those restrictions. That reality is consistent with a recent report from HoopsHipe’s Michael Scott, who detailed the Timberwolves’ internal resistance to core rotation players like McDaniels, Naz Reed and Donte DiVincenzo unless the return involves a true star.

Antetokounmpo, 31, remains under contract with Milwaukee to a three-year, $175.3 million extension and continues to perform at an elite level despite the team’s struggles. The Bucks are in 12th place in the Eastern Conference standings and have dropped three straight games, fueling speculation about whether the franchise might reset its roster.

Minnesota, meanwhile, has stabilized after early season inconsistency. The Timberwolves improved to 29-19 after a 118-105 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night and sit in sixth place in the Western Conference. They return to the Target Center on Thursday night to host the Oklahoma City Thunder (38-10) at 9:30 PM ET on Prime Video before opening a three-game road trip against the Memphis Grizzlies (18-27) on Saturday.

As the deadline approaches, Antetokounmpo’s future remains the league’s central story. Windhorst’s remarks, reinforced by reports from Stein and Fischer, ensure that Minnesota is no longer viewed as a sideline observer, but as a team with genuine interest if the circumstances line up.