The Milwaukee Bucks will have a tough decision to make before the upcoming NBA trade deadline involving the future of Giannis Antetokounmpo.
According to league insider Marc Stein, there are still many who believe the two-time MVP and former NBA Finals MVP could be traded before the deadline (via The Stein Line):
“Representatives from the other two teams insisted to me on Tuesday that they still believe a trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo is still feasible before next week’s deadline.”
If that happens, one suitor will stand out, and it won’t be the New York Knicks, Stein said.
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Stein reports the Miami Heat could make a big push for Antetokounmpo next week:
“So, which team can really entice the Bucks to make a deal next week or longer?
When this question is posed to various league executives, the most common answer remains Miami. Now is this just because the Heat themselves are reportedly sending an air of confidence that they can somehow influence the Bucks? Maybe. For what it’s worth, Miami reportedly believes they have a real chance of forging a path to Antetokounmpo.
Note that the Heat’s presumed best offer would likely feature Tyler Herro, Kyle Ware and draft capital. Will that be enough to speed up the Bucks’ timeline? “
A trade package involving Tyler Herro, Kyle Ware and draft capital could be attractive to the Bucks for a few reasons.
Herro, who hails from Wisconsin, has averaged at least 20 points per game for five consecutive seasons.
Ware was recently selected to the NBA Rising Stars Challenge and is one of the most compelling young players in the NBA.
Miami would need to pay $18.6 million in salary (roughly Norman Powell’s salary) to make the deal legal within the CBA. Or maybe they’ll get a third team involved to achieve salary matching.
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The Heat can offer their own first-round picks in 2026 as well as the 2028, 2029, 2030, 2031 and 2032 NBA drafts.
This article originally appeared in “For the Win: Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade Rumors: How Heat’s ‘Real Shot'”