Why NBA Draft lottery could make or break Warriors' Giannis Antetokounmpo trade chances

Why NBA Draft lottery could make or break Warriors' Giannis Antetokounmpo trade chances originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The 2026 NBA Draft lottery is set to begin on Sunday at 3 p.m.

At the end of the highly anticipated offseason event, the order for the first 14 draft picks will become crystal clear.

While several franchises have much at stake, the Golden State Warriors are likely under the most stress, as the results of the draft lottery could make or break their chances of landing Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo this summer, according to The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Eric Nehm.

“The Warriors would still love nothing more than to bring Antetokounmpo to town and, eventually, sign him to a long-term extension to play alongside Steph Curry in his golden years,” Amick and Nehm wrote Saturday.

“But there’s a reason they were trying so hard to get a deal done at the deadline, as they were well aware that there would be a lot more competition for Antetokounmpo’s services if this situation got pushed to the summer. Alas, here they are.”