Giannis Antetokounmpo
Photo: Peter Baba

NBA teams have become far more hesitant to trade away large bundles of future first-round picks under the current collective bargaining agreement, as the apron rules make long-term roster flexibility harder to maintain.

In contrast to the 2019–2024 period – when stars like Anthony Davis, Paul George, Kevin Durant, Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert, and Mikal Bridges commanded massive pick packages – the 2025 Durant trade from Phoenix to Houston, which yielded only one first-rounder, better represents how front offices are operating today.

This growing reluctance to mortgage the future is expected to affect any potential trade markets for Davis and even Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Brian Windhorst explained on The Hoop Collective, “What I’m telling you is that when I talk to executives and these executives are not in trade talks with the Bucks or another for a star player right now, the mood in the NBA right now is not give up four first round picks for anybody.”

He added that only ultra-elite talents might justify such a price, saying, “Okay, maybe if Shai (Gilgeous-Alexander) came on, or Victor (Wembanyama) … Like people don’t want to do that because the aprons have spooked so many teams. All these teams are worried about getting into apron trouble where they can’t reset their rosters. And you get into a situation like the Celtics were in where you got to rip your team down.”

Concerns about age, injuries, and expensive long-term contracts only amplify teams’ caution.

As Windhorst put it, “This is how teams are thinking right now. They’re a little freaked about the aprons. There ain’t going to be no five first round pick trades. I know that we saw those for a while. That’s just not to happen.”