Phoenix Suns' owner Mat Ishbia has done a fantastic job this season of standing on business and accepted that he had to change in order for the franchise to improve.
Gone are the splashy trades and the desire to be involved in all areas of the franchise, with trusted allies like Jordan Ott and Brian Gregory now in place.
Ishbia must resist the allure of Giannis Antetokounmpo
All of that could go out the window in the coming months however, if Giannis Antetokounmpo decides he wants to part ways with the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Greek superstar using the word "Phoenix" in a recent social media post, which of course fans took to mean he is definitely open to heading to The Valley to play.
Year 13 ✅📖
— Giannis Antetokounmpo (@Giannis_An34) April 21, 2026
This has been one of the toughest seasons of my career, but as they say, like a phoenix from the ashes, I’ll rise.💯
To the city of Milwaukee, MY city, thank you for the unwavering love and support. 🤎 pic.twitter.com/27d6VLLI6o
Even if the fanbase is putting two and two together and ending up with five on that one, the Suns are actually in a decent position to get into these conversations.
They just made the playoffs despite many predicting they would fail to win 20 games, and have a young coach in Ott who is trending upwards.
In Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and even Oso Ighodaro, the organization also has players of some worth around the league. In the case of Brooks, his value may never have been higher.
Even raw center Khaman Maluach could be worth a look, although the lack of draft capital to get a deal done would hurt their prospects.
The Suns not being able to come anywhere close to the four first rounders the Golden State Warriors could throw at the Bucks as a starting point for example.
But if Devin Booker realizes that Giannis is his best shot at contending through the remainder of his prime, then Ishbia is going to have a hard time saying no to that.
Much like Kevin Durant before him, Antetokounmpo obviously ticks the box of jersey sales, national attention and getting fans to the arena to watch games as well.
The 31-year-old is being slept on some because this season passed him by, but he is not the often-injured chemistry killer that many believe he has morphed into.
It has always been about winning for Giannis, and the list of teams interested in his services may not be as long as people think.
He is likely the first domino that has to fall this summer, but plenty of other franchises are either happy with what they've got or would want to go in a different direction.
Bringing a championship to the New York Knicks has long been rumored to be a huge goal of Antetokounmpo's. How about delivering a first title to the team you once beat in the finals instead?
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