The Warriors are pouring cold water on the Alphabet deal, holding chips and waiting for the Bucks to change

According to ESPN reports, Golden State Warriors insiders are "throwing cold water" on expectations that the team may acquire Milwaukee Bucks superstar Antetokounmpo at some point.

On Wednesday's "Brian Windhorst The Hoop Collective" podcast, ESPN's Anthony Slater said that Warriors insiders he has spoken to have "poured cold water" on the team and denied that the team is a "popular Giannis destination."

However, Slater also pointed out that the Warriors had "somewhat poured cold water" on the possibility of acquiring Butler. Of course, the Warriors did eventually trade to acquire Butler from the Miami Heat before the NBA trade deadline last season.

As early as May, Windhorst had raised the possibility that the Golden State Warriors might be a potential destination for Antetokounmpo, because the Warriors can provide young players like Podemski and Kuminga.

Windhorst mentioned the Warriors again this week, though he made it clear that it wasn't based on any inside information he had. Earlier this month, ESPN's Shams Charania reported on what was going on between Antetokounmpo and the Bucks during the offseason amid numerous trade rumors and speculation.

Charania reported that the New York Knicks were the only team Antetokounmpo had expressed interest in joining. Although negotiations did take place between the two teams, no results were ultimately reached. Antetokounmpo ultimately committed to staying with the Bucks for the time being, but he also left open the possibility of changing his stance, noting that "it's human nature to change your mind."

The Warriors are a team with a veteran core, and they are fully committed to trying to win another championship around the core lineup of Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. The Golden State Warriors currently rely heavily on veterans such as Butler and Horford, but also have some promising young players to round out the lineup, including Podemski, Kuminga, Moody and Davis.

With these young players and draft picks, the Warriors may be able to put together a trade package that is enough to get Antetokounmpo, but that would mean betting all on the present at the expense of future assets. Whether the Warriors actually have a chance to make this trade will likely depend on how the Bucks start the season.

The Milwaukee Bucks lost veteran center Lopez in free agency and waived nine-time All-Star point guard Dalilard, who is expected to miss most or all of the 2025-26 season with a torn Achilles tendon. However, the Bucks did re-sign Portis, Porter Jr., Trent and Prince, and acquired center Turner from the Indiana Pacers.

It's unclear whether these moves are enough to make the Bucks a championship contender, but since the Eastern Conference looks relatively open outside of the Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers, the Bucks could potentially be in contention. However, if things go south and Giannis requests a trade, the Warriors should at least explore the possibility of a trade, even if they are currently low-key.