Several narratives emerged from Thursday night’s Milwaukee Bucks–San Antonio Spurs clash: Victor Wembanyama’s near injury, the Spurs controlling the game despite Giannis Antetokounmpo’s efficient performance, and the pair’s lengthy postgame conversation.
When Antetokounmpo trade rumors were at their peak, one scenario floated was him joining the Spurs to form a frontcourt tandem with Wembanyama. After Thursday’s matchup, that speculation reignited among fans.
Victor Wembanyama and Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Postgame Exchange Fuels Trade Speculation Among NBA Fans
Antetokounmpo has stated he wants to stay in Milwaukee despite the team’s struggles, but that hasn’t stopped fans from fueling trade chatter.
The parody account NBA Centel shared a clip of their postgame talk, captioning it with imagined dialogue: “If you’re serious, Jeremy Sochan’s gone by morning.”
“Sochan and some picks. Who says no?!” a fan replied.
“Spurs the only team with the pieces to make it happen,” another said.
Sochan was once a bright spot in San Antonio’s rebuild, but as the Spurs moved out of the lottery and back toward relevance, his role has diminished. On Thursday, he logged just 10 minutes with two points and a rebound.
He is in the final year of his four-year, $23 million rookie-scale contract. To pursue Antetokounmpo, whose salary this season is $54.1 million, the Spurs would need to aggregate Sochan’s deal.
Other fans chimed in:
“Presti sees this, and trades for Giannis just to make sure Wemby doesn’t get him,” one said.
“Can you imagine though? I mean the Spurs legitimately have the pieces to make this happen,” another said.
“Centel never Wrong he’s jus early,” another added.
While Sochan could be part of a package, ESPN’s December proposal did not include him.
Analyst Zach Kram suggested a Bucks–Spurs deal sending Antetokounmpo to San Antonio in exchange for reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle, Harrison Barnes, Kelly Olynyk, Jordan McLaughlin, plus first-round picks in 2027 (via Hawks), 2029, and 2032.
Before the season, when trade rumors were hotter, a move to San Antonio was seen as a way to accelerate the Spurs’ rebuild and push them into contention.
Fast forward to Thursday: the Spurs sit at 28-13, second in the West, while the Bucks are 17-24 and 11th in the East. That context suggests San Antonio may hold steady this season, evaluating how its young roster fares in the playoffs before considering a blockbuster move.
