Toronto can land Giannis, but Raptors fans must be realistic about the price 546d2n

The Toronto Raptors are entering yet another offseason at the center of superstar trade rumors. 6cm4k

Three years ago, it was Kevin Durant. Two years ago, Damian Lillard. This summer, it's Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Raptors - specifically team president Masai Ujiri - have kept their eyes on Antetokounmpo since he was a raw but tantalizing draft prospect more than a decade ago. Now, the entire league awaits word on the two-time MVP's desires.

If Antetokounmpo decides it's time for a change after 12 years in Milwaukee, the Raptors figure to get themselves in the mix. Ujiri's history with Antetokounmpo runs deep, tracing back to when the executive helped the NBA star's family secure Greek citizenship (Antetokounmpo was born in Greece, but his parents were born in Nigeria). Toronto also offers the type of large market and cosmopolitan city (plus a sizable Greek community) that Antetokounmpo reportedly prefers if he leaves Wisconsin.

The potential partnership has gone from a total fantasy to slightly more plausible this week, with reports the Raptors might be in the market for a "big fish" and that there could be mutual interest between the two parties. It all makes sense when you factor in Ujiri's comments about the NBA's international boom creating a unique opportunity for Toronto in the coming years and his long-standing commitment to pursue top-five talents.

Among fans, there seem to be two distinct groups. On one side, there are those so jaded by Toronto's failed superstar pursuits of the past that they don't believe the Raptors have any business in these discussions. On the other side, those so blindly loyal to their favorite players that they think the Raptors can acquire Antetokounmpo without trading Scottie Barnes.

The chances Antetokounmpo lands in Toronto are slim because only one team can acquire him, and that's if he even hits the market. Still, it's no more of a pipe dream for the Raptors than for any other interested franchise.

That brings us to the cost of doing such seismic business. Raptors fans can fantasize about trading for Antetokounmpo, but if they're going to dare to dream, they must also be realistic about the price Toronto would have to pay.

Whether they want to hear it or not, the discussion likely begins with Barnes.

We're not talking about 36-year-old Kevin Durant with a history of Achilles and knee injuries (though Durant is still a tremendous player when healthy). The Bucks don't need to lower the price on Antetokounmpo the way the Suns reportedly have on Durant. The Greek Freak is a top-three player on the planet, a perennial MVP candidate still in his prime at age 30, and under team control for multiple years.

Over the NBA's 79-year history, there have been 10 instances in which a player has averaged at least 30 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists. Antetokounmpo s for three of those seasons over the last three years, during which time he's also averaged a steal and a block per game. He's a rim-rampaging offensive force and a versatile defensive terror - a point-center whose defensive impact may have slipped slightly, but who now boasts a legitimate midrange game.

Barnes is an impressive 23-year-old with an All-Star selection already under his belt and All-Defensive team potential. But to put things in perspective, his absolute ceiling would be something like a poor man's Giannis. That's less of a knock on Barnes than it is a testament to Antetokounmpo's greatness.

Employing The Greek Freak means enjoying the benefits that come with having the best player on the court 95% of the time. Even with Damian Lillard recovering from a torn Achilles and an aging roster full of question marks, the Bucks can still sniff the fringes of title contention in the wide-open Eastern Conference with Antetokounmpo in the fold. Plus, Milwaukee doesn't control its own first-round draft pick until 2031, so tanking appears to be off the table. The Bucks won't trade Antetokounmpo just for the sake of it - they'll demand an incredibly high asking price that meets his elite status.

From a salary-matching perspective, consider Toronto's big-money contracts outside of Barnes and ask yourself, would a deal built around one of Brandon Ingram, Immanuel Quickley, or RJ Barrett, along with a couple of young players and multiple picks, really be enough? If it somehow is, the Raptors should attach whatever draft equity is necessary and run off like bandits.

Put some shooting and capable guard play around Antetokounmpo and Barnes (Quickley might be the ideal candidate), and you could be looking at the East favorites.

The more realistic scenario likely involves Barnes heading to Milwaukee. However, this is also where Bucks fans need a reality check, and where Toronto's front office must stay disciplined.

If Barnes is the deal's centerpiece, the Raptors can't send too many picks to Milwaukee with him. Doing so would leave Toronto in virtually the same position the Bucks are now, without the asset capital required to surround Antetokounmpo with a sustainable championship-caliber ing cast.

The reason teams that trade superstars hoard picks (and tank) is to increase their chances of landing another player worth building around. In Barnes, a two-way star under contract through 2030, the Raptors would already be giving Milwaukee that blue-chip pillar. Some salary filler and a pick or two would still be required, but it shouldn't take much more.

If the Bucks still aren't satisfied, Toronto should walk away, as hard as that would be for Ujiri to do.

Joseph Casciaro is theScore's lead Raptors and NBA reporter.