Bill Whittington

Numerous NBA front offices began operating under the belief in recent days, arguably with greater conviction than ever before that a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade before the league's February 5th trade deadline at 2 p.m.

Central had become unexpectedly possible.

That wasn't the case back in January 8th.

That's two weeks ago and some change.

Where Giannis insisted he would never ask for a trade.

But now it looks like the Bucs are ready to listen to offers.

And this would be a nice time to have, I don't know, a first-round unprotected New Orleans Pelicans pick.

They don't.

The Atlanta Hawks.

Behind the Bulls.

Yeah.

They fall in love with teenagers.

What's interesting about this is because he's out for so long, like basically a month to a month and a half, they're 11th in the standings, a good two and a half games back of the freaking Hawks for the 10th seed.

They're not even in the play-in.

And they're probably not going to get back into the play-in because they've got injuries to him, Kevin Porter.

They've got a bunch of injuries.

They are a hurting basketball team.

Sure didn't.

I mean, if you're a team like, let's say like...

the Indiana Pacers, who are not going to win this year because we know what's going on with Tyrese Halliburton.