Why dream of Giannis joining the Warriors won’t die so easily

The Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Golden State Warriors dream is still alive.

Yes, the Greek Freak signed a fiveyear, $228 million contract extension with the Bucks on Tuesday — the largest contract in NBA history. But the belief that a back-toback MVP playing alongside another back-to-back MVP, Stephen Curry, will still persist.

Why? Because the idea that Giannis was coming West was never based in reality.

This new, massive contract is just another stop sign — among many — for those trying to manifest No. 34 in blue and yellow.

Why wouldn’t they ignore this one, too?

And it won’t just be Warriors fans and Instagram commenters who will continue to push the narrative, either.

Just give it time and the big media outlets will come around, too.

It could only take a few weeks or it might wait until after the 2021 playoffs, but I can see the chyron at the bottom of the screen now:

“Should Giannis demand a trade to (insert bigger market team here)?”

None of it will mean anything — just as nothing that happened the past few seasons prevented Giannis from signing that supermax deal with the Bucks. The problem is that a big-time player — arguably the NBA’s best — in a medium-sized market doesn’t move the needle on its own, so there will be an effort to manipulate it.

And while Giannis committing to the Bucks might not be great for afternoon TV ratings, I think it’s fantastic for the NBA.

For too long now, the combination of market size and player empowerment has hurt the NBA’s overall product.

LeBron to the Heat. Durant to the Warriors. LeBron to the Lakers. Even Russell Westbrook, who built an entire brand around small-market loyalty, asked for a trade out of Oklahoma City.

It’s created a sense of inevitability — the thing people are trying to escape when they watch sports.

But when teams that draft and develop talent are effectively seen as farm systems for the big boys, what incentive is there to be a fan of one of half of the teams in the league?

Even if one of those underdogs wins a title — something that has happened once since the 2011 NBA lockout — it’s probably a one-and- done situation. Eventually, they’ll want to live by the beach, be in a media epicenter, or hang out with big tech money.

You can’t blame a superstar for wanting such things, but you can blame the structure of the league for making it so easy for them to get it. Yes, the current environment might be good for the mega-stars, but it’s bad for the league on the whole.

The Giannis signing has a chance to change the paradigm, just a bit.

Don’t forget, by signing this contract, he spurned Miami and Toronto and Dallas. He’s committed

for the long haul in a market that — despite its many charms — isn’t on the top of anyone’s list. And the fact that he made that commitment before they won a title should convince you that it won’t be short-lived.

If he can win a title and compete for more, it could help usher in a new era of star loyalty and built-notbought teams. One can hope, at least.

As for the hope that Giannis change his mind and will demand to join up with the Warriors and supercharge the Golden State dynasty once again, I implore you: give it up. Join us in reality.

The truth is that Giannis is going to be a Buck for a long time. He might be traded — perhaps even to Golden State — but by the time that happens, Stephen Curry will be on the downslope of his career, Draymond Green might have dropped another 30 pounds, and the Warriors’ dynasty as we once knew it will be no more.

There’s some closure to this signing. A feeling of resolution.