While Giannis Antetokounmpo recently addressed his desire to make things work with the Bucks, the rest of the league is preparing for the moment when Milwaukee signals it’s ready to start hearing offers, Jake Fischer writes for The Stein Line (subscriber link).
Fischer reports that due to the widespread belief that any team that acquires Antetokounmpo will need to enter next season with championship expectations, executives around the league expect the two-time MVP to have a good amount of say in where he ends up, though there’s never a guarantee a surprise team doesn’t swoop in and land him.
Antetokounmpo recently turned 31 and is averaging 28.9 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 6.1 assists while hitting a career-high 43.5% of his threes this season. He will become extension-eligible on October 1, 2026, a significant factor that will likely play a part in how teams approach making offers for his services.
Of those teams, Fischer cites the Knicks and Heat as organisations to keep an eye on when it comes to a real pursuit of Antetokounmpo’s services.
- Fischer writes that there’s a belief that the Knicks stand apart as the team the 6’11” forward would most want to end up on, and confirms that the New York squad was the “temptation” that Antetokounmpo discussed during the offseason. He adds that the fanbase’s post-playoff victory gatherings have been endearing to Antetokounmpo, as they appeal to his love of European basketball and soccer supporter activity.
- As far as the Heat go, Fischer notes that Antetokounmpo’s management group got as far as doing due diligence on how playing in states without income tax, including Florida and Dallas, when Luka Doncic was still on the Mavericks, would impact his contract earnings. Once the Heat declined to include Kel’el Ware in Kevin Durant trade discussions this summer, and likewise refused to package Ware with Jaime Jaquez Jr., Nikola Jovic, and the 20th pick in the 2025 draft, it was assumed that they were doing so in order to be in a position to make an offer should a younger top-end talent come available.
- Fischer also reports that the Heat have had internal discussions regarding Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant, who has missed 11 of the team’s last 12 games with a calf injury. He notes that Miami has signalled that it’s willing to include Andrew Wiggins in the right deal, and the lack of an extension for Tyler Herro could signal his availability as well.