Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo could soon be playing for another Eastern Conference team.
Trade buzz surrounding the two-time league MVP is heightening before the 2026 NBA Draft, which begins Tuesday in New York. Some expect him to be dealt at some point during the draft. If he is, it wouldn’t be stunning if the Miami Heat are the team that acquires Antetokounmpo.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks explains why he thinks Heat will land Giannis Antetokounmpo
“I’m still in the belief it’s Miami,” Marks, a former Brooklyn Nets assistant general manager, said Sunday morning on “SportsCenter.” “Because when you look at Giannis, it’s the superstar checklist Miami has there.”
That checklist includes a win-now player, young players on cheap contracts and draft capital.
The Heat feature guard Tyler Herro, who’s entering the last year of a four-year, $120M contract this upcoming season. The high-scoring guard, who averaged 20.5 points per game in 33 contests this season and shot a career-high 48 percent from the field, could be included in a package that sends him to Milwaukee or another team.
Marks mentioned Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr., 25, and center Kel’el Ware, 22, as young players Miami may trade. Jaquez is entering the final year of a four-year, $16.9M deal, while Ware is entering the third year of a four-year $20.4M deal, which includes a club option in 2027.
Miami’s draft picks, though, are potentially more attractive to Milwaukee than any of its other assets. The Heat own two picks (No. 13 and No. 41) in this year’s draft, which is considered one of the deepest in years. They could include one of those in an Antetokounmpo package to sweeten the deal.
Miami appears to be holding the cards in the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes. It holds multiple trade chips that other suitors can’t offer to Milwaukee, which will aim to acquire a haul to best position itself for life after the one-time champion if it trades him as expected.
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