With Giannis Potentially On The Move, The One Franchise Superstar Is Becoming An Endangered Species

With all the breadcrumbs that have dropped over the last two days, we all knew it was only a matter of time before we got the official Shams bomb that when it comes to Giannis and his future with the Bucks, it's go time

Where he ends up? Who the hell knows. It's sort of hard to figure out what's even real/acceptable value for someone like Giannis after the Luka trade. If there's a team that Giannis is going to direct himself to, then the return might not be the best of what the market could bring. We'll just have to wait and see. Can the Bucks convince Giannis that his best option is also the team that can give them the best package? Or will they have to figure out how to make a trade work with a lesser return because that's the preferred destination? Quite the pickle.

As the day went on, I started thinking about how if Giannis is now out and will play for his second team, our list of one franchise superstars is becoming even more extinct. Not that it's all that common or anything, but I do always think it's awesome when it happens. The Bird's, Russell's, Dirk's, Duncan's, Kobe's, Magic's, Stockton's, Reggie Miller's, Isiah Thomas' of the world. True legends. There's just something cool to me about being one of the best to ever do it and only doing it for one team. Hopefully, you were able to reach the mountain top with that team, which may have helped you stay. But for those that didn't, I respect that even more. You didn't ring chase, things just didn't work out. 

If you look around the league right now, it's getting pretty grim. Forget the fact that player movement is more fluid than ever, there's also now an entire CBA that ultimately forces teams to trade their high-salaried players at some point, especially if they don't win. Or, sometimes your GM is Nico Harrison and you get traded in the middle of the night against your will. But if we're talking about the true potential one franchise superstars, the list isn't very long. 

Steph Curry

This one goes without saying. I get the sense that Steph will just retire rather than demand a trade one day and play for another team. I just can't see a world where the Warriors would ever trade Steph either, because why the hell would you willingly remove Steph Curry from your basketball team? I don't care what happened last year with Luka. Steph is different. As long as he wants to play, the Warriors will be in the Steph Curry business. 

I also think he appreciates and understands the rarity of being a one franchise superstar. At least I hope he does, because Steph is someone that I always want to think back on as a Warrior. Selfishly, I only want to see him play in GS.

Nikola Jokic

I can't imagine Jokic gives a shit about a big market or anything that comes with it, and much like Steph and the Warriors, as long as Nikola Jokic wants to play basketball, the Denver Nuggets will be in the Jokic business. You have the best player in the world who is not only already a champion, but he's on a historic pace. He could very well go down as one of the best players in NBA history. You don't trade that guy.

It also wouldn't surprise me if Jokic sticks his whole career out in Denver because he doesn't seem to be a guy who loves moving. I've moved too many times to count in my life all over this damn country, and that shit is a bitch. Given that his team is contending, the Nuggets continue to give him $300M extensions, and he already has his ring, Jokic feels like a Nuggets lifer. I'd be genuinely shocked to one day see a Shams bomb telling me that Jokic has been traded. My brain can't physically comprehend that.

Jayson Tatum

I should also state Jaylen Brown here as well, because I feel the exact same way about him too. Here's the thing. I've lived through Paul Pierce getting traded, so I understand how hard it is to have the one franchise superstar. Growing up, I never in a million years could envision Paul Pierce not being a Celtic. He's arguably a top 4 Celtic ever. But that's how things go in the NBA, you just never know. In fact, we're talking about the very two players that came as a result of that Paul Pierce trade! Funny how life works. 

I'm aware that due to the CBA and Jaylen Brown's supermax salary, he's not a lock to stay forever. Even if he doesn't want to leave, that's the business of the NBA. 

I'm also aware that Jayson Tatum could very well play 15+ years, and by that time maybe there's another Brooklyn Nets-type trade on the table. You just never, ever know.

So really, I'm just trying to speak this into existence. Not only do they play for the most successful and iconic franchise in NBA history, they are living Celtics legends. They're already stamped with their rings (God this still feels great to type). They're both climbing up all kinds of Celtics franchise records and are well on their way to both being some of the best Celtics ever. Their jerseys are already going up to the rafters, but I'd love it if it could be a footnote that they join Bird/Russell/etc as guys who only played in Boston. That's my dream.

Anthony Edwards

Once you get past Tatum, there aren't too many options left. I consider Ant to be one because he's obviously a franchise superstar, and to me gives off the vibe of someone who wants to be a one franchise superstar. It won't be a matter of money because the Wolves are just going to supermax him whenever he's eligible, so really it comes down to whether you think Ant would ever demand a trade. Is he someone who you think would maybe leave for a bigger market or something along those lines? I dunno, I don't get the impression watching Ant that he would bail if things got tough. He seems like way too much of a competitor. I know KG ultimately left, but they had to force him out for his own good. I get the same sense of commitment to MIN from Ant. 

He's another guy who could very well play 15+ years, and once you start getting that deep, all bets are off. But given that Wolves fans had to experience KG leaving (thanks again!), I wish for them that Ant can be one who stays forever. That fanbase has suffered enough, at least let them keep Ant.

Victor Wembanyama

I'm pretty sure Wemby is already talking about how he's going to be a Spur for life and he's only been there for like 15 minutes. Given the culture in SA and the fact that guys like Duncan and David Robinson were one franchise superstars, this one feels like a lock even though we're only in Year 3. As a franchise, I feel confident in saying the Spurs are unlikely to ever be willingly looking to get out of the Wemby business, so when you add those two things together, it has all the makings of being worthy of consideration.

Talent-wise, we already know Wemby checks the box. He's a 1st Team All NBA/MVP caliber player in Year 3. He could very well pan out to be a generational player. He is the very definition of a young franchise superstar. 

Devin Booker

I went back and forth about Devin Booker. Technically, he made a 1st team All NBA in 2021 and then another 3rd team in 2023-24. He's also only a 4x All Star, so is he truly that superstar level? After some internal debate, I say yes. He's basically a lock for 25/6 a game, and maybe he's a little underrated. I dunno, he's a hard player to place. Like if he played in the East, would he have more All Stars? 

Anyway, we've already seen the Suns have a teardown during his time there, and he was the one they chose. Not only did they choose him, but they also gave him another $200M or some shit. He seems perfectly content to chill in Arizona, which, as someone who lived there for 4 years while in college, I can understand why. You ever seen Booker's MTV Cribs or whatever? I'd want to stay there forever too, especially if they keep on giving you hundreds of millions to do it.

The question then becomes, will he be OK potentially being a player that never wins a title if it means being a Sun for life. I'll remind you, this is a franchise with 0 titles. He's about to enter his 30s, and the Suns are in Year 1 of a rebuild. In that conference, think about how long that's going to potentially take before you're ready to contend for a title. I think he sticks it out, he easily could have demanded a trade during this teardown, and he didn't. He doubled down. That feels like a lifer to me.

So outside of those listed above, I'm not really sure who else I would put in that group. Joel Embiid would normally be a name that made sense, but his days in Philly feel numbered. Unless he straight-up retires instead, then maybe you include him as well. Could someone like Maxey get there one day? If he stays on this current trajectory of averaging 30+, maybe. Remember, guys like Haliburton were already traded, even though I do think if he were always a Pacer, he'd be another lifer like Reggie Miller. I'd maybe also consider Bam, but he's not really the "superstar" type player I'm talking about. He could follow the Udonis Haslem path and maybe not be a superstar, but still be a Heat lifer. 

Could Cade Cunningham be this era's Isiah Thomas? He feels ready to make his superstar leap and another guy that doesn't really give a shit about market, but we have to see it first. 

The point is, the list is extremely short and is only getting shorter. In just the last few seasons we lost Dame, Luka, and now potentially Giannis. It's a dying breed in 2025 and beyond, so if you're fortunate enough to have one of these guys on your favorite team, cherish it.