The Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes might wind up being a bidding war between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics.<\/p>\n
NBA insider Jake Fischer<\/a> reported Thursday that Miami’s offer is “widely presumed” to include guard Tyler Herro, center Kel’el Ware and forward Jaime Jacquez Jr. along with draft capital.<\/p>\n According to Fischer, people around the league aren’t eliminating the Celtics from the picture despite them not yet making a serious pursuit: “This much is clear: Boston is believed to be a potential suitor that genuinely concerns Miami.”<\/p>\n Fischer went on to downplay the odds of the Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, Orlando Magic or Portland Trail Blazers putting a trade package together.<\/p>\n In a way, this is becoming the worst-case scenario for the Milwaukee Bucks. Trading one of the greatest players in franchise history is never easy, but general manager Jon Horst painted himself into a corner by holding onto Antetokounmpo last summer and through the 2026 trade deadline.<\/p>\n When the two-time NBA MVP can be a free agent in another year, a lot of teams will be dissuaded from giving up the kind of assets Milwaukee will demand. Fischer reported it’s an obvious consideration for Portland.<\/p>\n The Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers have young stars in Paolo Banchero and Evan Mobley, respectively, who would headline a trade offer. The Cavs reportedly don’t want<\/a> to move Mobley because of his age and multiple years of team control. Orlando is likely operating under the same premise with Banchero and Franz Wagner.<\/p>\n When it comes to the Celtics, the situation could be complicated even if they’re willing to swap Jaylen Brown for Giannis.<\/p>\n The Bucks need to be building for the future with an Antetokounmpo trade, and they’re not achieving that if they wind up adding a 29-year-old star who’s making $183 million<\/a> over the next three seasons.<\/p>\n This all could leave the Heat with a pretty clear runway.<\/p>\n ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, Tim MacMahon and Tim Bontemps weighed in<\/a> on the Giannis trade saga during Wednesday’s episode of the Hoop Collective podcast.<\/p>\n Bontemps argued that Miami winning the race would represent it being “the last team standing” rather than the highest bidder.<\/p>\n “I think if there’s other teams in the race, at least for me, if I was Jon Horst in Milwaukee and I was looking at it, the Heat package is fine,” he said. “But it’s not enough for me if any of these other teams decide to get in the mix.”<\/p>\n