New footage shows Raptors aggressively pursued Giannis in 2013 draft
Toronto Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri has long had his eye on Giannis Antetokounmpo.
In the Raptors' "Open Gym" documentary series, Ujiri and general manager Bobby Webster are seen hashing out potential trades to move up to select Antetokounmpo in the 2013 draft.
"The kid we want to pick ... we don't think many kids in 2015 will be at his level in two years," Ujiri said of Antetokounmpo.
Masai Ujiri and Bobby Webster, trying to find a way to draft Giannis Antetokounmpo. It seemingly almost happened. 😳
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 10, 2020
via @Bell's Open Gym documentary, The Bubble. pic.twitter.com/ENWHb4j3vr
However, Ujiri didn't have a first-round pick at his disposal. A year prior, then-Raptors president Bryan Colangelo traded the team's top selection as part of a deal for Houston Rockets guard Kyle Lowry.
The Rockets then flipped that pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder as part of the blockbuster package for James Harden.
It appears Ujiri approached the Thunder about possibly reacquiring the team's 2013 first-rounder. When that faded, Webster inquired about whether the Minnesota Timberwolves would move the No. 14 pick they received earlier in a draft-day trade with the Utah Jazz.
Of course, it wasn't meant to be, as the Milwaukee Bucks selected Antetokounmpo at No. 15.
Should Antetokounmpo pass on signing a supermax contract extension before Dec. 21, the Raptors and other suitors will have a chance to sign the Greek superstar as an unrestricted free agent next summer.