Paul Pierce Believes The Golden State Warriors Need Giannis Antetokounmpo
Pierce said the Warriors need to "find a way to get Antetokounmpo over there"
Last season, the Golden State Warriors missed the playoffs for just the second time in the last 12 years. With sharpshooting guard Klay Thompson now with the Dallas Mavericks, some have wondered what it would take for the Warriors to get back to their championship days.
On a recent episode of Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce’s KG Certified podcast, Pierce said the Warriors will need to find a way to acquire Milwaukee Bucks’ power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“The only way I see Golden State getting back to where they need to get back to is if they can find a way to get Giannis [Antetokounmpo] over there.” - Paul Pierce
During his entire 11-year career as the Bucks’ franchise player, Antetokounmpo established himself as one of the greatest and most dominant power forwards of all time. In addition to being an eight-time All-Star, he was named to eight All-NBA and five All-Defensive Teams. He won back-to-back MVP awards in 2019 and 2020 and the DPOY award in 2020.
Antetokounmpo also reached the ultimate goal. In 2021, he led the Bucks to a championship and even scored 50 points in Game 6 of the Finals against the Phoenix Suns.
Even though he’s 29 years old, Antetokounmpo is still playing impressively. Last season, he averaged 30.4 points, 11.5 rebounds, a career-high 6.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.1 blocks. He made the All-NBA First Team and finished fourth in voting for the MVP award and ninth in voting for the DPOY award.
If the Warriors do pull off a miracle and acquire Antetokounmpo, they could benefit in a huge way. Although he isn’t known for his shooting abilities, his athleticism makes him a threat in the frontcourt area, both offensively and defensively. Because Draymond Green will likely remain the Warriors’ starting power forward, Antetokounmpo length and wingspan will make him a reliable center.
Right now, Antetokounmpo is under a five-year contract with a player option in 2027. Though it’s unlikely the Warriors will obtain him, they could still make a solid attempt in the near future.
Cory Nelson is a contributor to Fansided’s Wiz of Awes. He attended Northern Virginia Community College. He can be reached at corymckenzienelson@hotmail.com or follow him on Twitter @CKenzyNelson, Instagram @ckenzynelson, and Threads @ckenzynelson