Bucks Tell Teams They’re Keeping Giannis Antetokounmpo
The Bucks have informed interested teams that they’re hanging onto forward Giannis Antetokounmpo through Thursday’s trade deadline and will begin focusing on separate trade opportunities, reports ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link).
The decision removes the top attraction from this year’s pre-deadline trade market and sets up an eventful offseason when rival teams will be able to make more tempting offers.
The Warriors, Timberwolves, Heat and Knicks were believed to be the most active suitors for Antetokounmpo, but the Bucks were signaling to teams over the past few days that they weren’t ready to part with their franchise player, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints (Twitter link).
As a result, those teams began focusing on other moves, with Golden State acquiring Kristaps Porzingis, Minnesota dealing for Ayo Dosunmu and New York swapping Guerschon Yabusele for Dalen Terry.
ESPN’s Jason Collier reported earlier today that Milwaukee wasn’t feeling pressure to find a deal before the deadline, and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line got the same impression, with one rival executive telling him the Bucks “were never serious” about moving Antetokounmpo prior to this summer (Twitter link).
While holding onto Antetokounmpo could increase his eventual trade value, it also gives him more control over the process. He’s only under contract for one more season at $58.5MM and holds a $62.8MM player option for 2027/28. Being able to opt out next summer means he’ll have some leverage to quash a potential deal if he’s not being sent to a place that he wants to go.
Antetokounmpo will become eligible for a four-year, $275MM extension on October 1 if he remains in Milwaukee, notes Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link). If he’s traded before then, he’ll have to wait six months from the day the deal is finalized until he can sign that maximum extension (he could get a slightly shorter, less lucrative deal within the six-month window).
Antetokounmpo is currently sidelined due to a calf strain, and with the Bucks lingering in 12th place in the East at 20-29, it may be in their best interest to have him sit out the rest of the season to maximize the value of their first-round pick and avoid the risk of injury heading into the summer. However, league sources tell Eric Nehm of The Athletic that Antetokounmpo wants to return to action once he’s fully recovered in hopes of helping the team secure a play-in spot.
Antetokounmpo has been sending out mixed signals about his desire to stay in Milwaukee since trade rumors began to heat up. He said Tuesday that he loves the city and would prefer to retire as a Buck, but he also suggested that he’s not fully convinced that the team can quickly be rebuilt into a title contender, adding that he has to look at his options.
Multiple reports have stated that the Bucks are seeking young talent and draft assets in an Antetokounmpo deal. Several teams that currently have limited draft picks available will be able to increase their offers beginning this June.
Bucks Not Feeling Pressure To Trade Giannis Antetokounmpo
The Bucks aren’t feeling pressure to trade Giannis Antetokounmpo ahead of Thursday’s deadline, sources tell Jamal Collier of ESPN.
Although an Antetokounmpo deal in the coming hours remains a possibility, several signs are pointing toward the saga carrying over into the offseason as the 2:00 pm CT deadline nears, Collier writes.
The Knicks and Warriors appear to have backed off their pursuit of the two-time MVP, leaving the Heat, Timberwolves, and any potential mystery teams as the suitors still in the running. But even those clubs still involved have become increasingly dubious that a trade will happen today, Collier notes.
It’s not uncommon for a team to seriously explore the possibility of trading a star player at the deadline and then revisit those conversations in the offseason. The Pelicans memorably took that route with Anthony Davis in 2019 before trading him to the Lakers that summer. The Suns took a similar path with Kevin Durant a year ago, discussing deals in January and February and then holding onto him until July, when he was sent to Houston.
While this is the closest the Bucks have ever come to trading Antetokounmpo, it’s also still not an absolute lock that he’ll be wearing a new jersey by opening night of next season.
According to Collier, Milwaukee has continued to explore the trade market for opportunities to upgrade its roster, hoping to find a buy-low opportunity with a trade partner looking to shed long-term salary. The Bucks have been linked to Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant, for instance.
Antetokounmpo said in a conversation with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel this week that he still holds great affinity for Milwaukee and would prefer to remain with the Bucks if they could give him a legitimate chance to compete for a championship. He reiterated that message during a separate discussion with Eric Nehm of The Athletic when asked if he’d commit to another season in Milwaukee if the Bucks could build a roster capable of winning consistently.
“You’re saying that if they can convince me to stay within the team, and the next year that we can compete? Oh yeah, 1,000 percent,” Antetokounmpo said. “One million percent.”
Still, it will be extremely challenging for the Bucks – who have a 20-29 record this season – to improve their roster that significantly, given their limited trade assets. The team currently has just one tradable first-round pick, in either 2031 or 2032.
The Bucks may also not be motivated to continue pursuing win-now moves if Antetokounmpo isn’t willing to commit to them beyond next season — he becomes extension-eligible this October and could reach unrestricted free agency as soon as the summer of 2027 if he doesn’t sign a new deal before then.
Trade Rumors: Giannis, Morant, Alvarado, Knicks, Raptors
While Thursday is usually the busiest day of the NBA’s trade deadline week, Tuesday and Wednesday have been more active than usual this season, observes Fred Katz of The Athletic.
There are a number of reasons why that may be the case, but one front office executive who spoke to Katz believes teams are reacting to what happened at last year’s deadline, when physical exams affected two trade agreements. The Sixers and Mavericks slightly reworked the terms of their Caleb Martin/Quentin Grimes deal due to concerns about Martin’s physical, while the Lakers and Hornets rescinded their Mark Williams trade as a result of Williams’ physical.
The Philadelphia/Dallas deal was agreed to and finalized on the Tuesday before the deadline, which allowed the two teams to conduct physical and then amend the terms on Thursday. However, because Los Angeles and Charlotte finalized their deal on Thursday, the issues with Williams’ physical didn’t arise until after the deadline, when negotiations couldn’t be reopened. At that point, the Lakers had just two options: approve the deal anyway or nix it altogether.
Several teams making deals at this year’s deadline may have those situations in the backs of their mind, Katz explains, prompting them to get their business done a little earlier in the week.
Here are more trade rumors from around the NBA, with the deadline just over five hours away:
- The Timberwolves and Heat don’t believe they’re out of the running for Giannis Antetokounmpo, but like Golden State, they remain skeptical that the Bucks are ready to get a deal done today, reports Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link). Fischer, who previously identified Milwaukee as a team to watch on the Ja Morant front, also continues to hear that the Bucks remain engaged with the Grizzlies about the star point guard.
- Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado remains on the Knicks‘ radar, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link). While New York reportedly didn’t have much luck selling New Orleans on a deal that included Guerschon Yabusele, the team may have more success with Dalen Terry‘s expiring contract after agreeing to send Yabusele to Chicago. The Knicks have also expressed interest in Yves Missi, but the Pelicans have reportedly insisted on a first-round pick for him to this point. New York’s only tradable first-rounder is Washington’s top-eight protected 2026 pick, which will likely turn into second-rounders.
- It’s been a busy week for the Bulls, who have finalized three trades and agreed to two more, but they may not be done dealing yet. According to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times, the Bulls’ front office was still talking to teams as of Wednesday night, with a “focus” on the Pelicans and Rockets. Chicago has been linked to Zion Williamson and Missi from New Orleans and Tari Eason from Houston, Cowley notes. However, he says the Bulls haven’t made real progress on the Pelicans’ players, and reports have indicated the Rockets are very resistant to moving Eason.
- After agreeing to two minor deals on Wednesday to duck the luxury tax and add Trayce Jackson-Davis, the Raptors are unlikely to make a major move ahead of Thursday’s deadline, Michael Grange of Sportsnet (Twitter video link) and TSN’s Josh Lewenberg (Twitter video link) said during TV appearances. Toronto has been linked to several notable big men, but some (Anthony Davis and Jaren Jackson Jr.) have been traded to other teams, while Domantas Sabonis appears likely to remain in Sacramento.
Hoops Rumors’ 2026 NBA Trade Deadline Primer
Deadline day is finally here. NBA teams will have until today at 2:00 pm Central time to finalize trade agreements. Anyone not traded by that time will be ineligible to be moved until after his team’s season comes to an end this spring.
After a slow start to trade season, we’ve already seen a ton of fireworks this week. Prior to February 1, only one trade had been completed since opening night, but since Sunday, 10 deals have been finalized and seven more have been agreed upon.
And it’s not as if we’re just getting a bunch of salary dumps. Unlikely buyers like the Jazz and Wizards have pulled off blockbuster moves, with Utah acquiring Jaren Jackson Jr. from Memphis in an eight-player, three-pick trade, while Washington agreed to acquire Anthony Davis from Dallas in a deal that will reportedly involve eight players and five draft picks.
The Cavaliers and Clippers got in on the fun by completing a swap of multi-time All-Stars – James Harden and Darius Garland – while players like Coby White, Keon Ellis, De’Andre Hunter, Jaden Ivey, Jared McCain, Kevin Huerter, and Collin Sexton have also been on the move, with Nikola Vucevic, Anfernee Simons, Kristaps Porzingis, Jonathan Kuminga, Lonzo Ball, and Chris Paul set to join them in pending deals.
[RELATED: 2025/26 In-Season NBA Trades]
Those deals took many of this season’s most noteworthy trade candidates off the board, but there are still plenty of storylines to keep an eye on as Thursday’s deadline nears, starting with whether or not the Bucks will actually move two-time Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Rival teams have been skeptical that Milwaukee will pull the trigger on a Giannis trade this week instead of waiting until the offseason, when more teams might enter the mix and current suitors could potentially improve their offers.
It sounds like at least one of the teams involved in the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes isn’t counting on a Thursday deal — when Golden State agreed to trade Kuminga to Atlanta, it marked the “unofficial end” of the team’s pursuit of the Bucks star, per ESPN’s Anthony Slater and Shams Charania.
While Sam Amick, Nick Friedell, and Fred Katz say that Warriors team sources haven’t entirely closed the door on the possibility of an Antetokounmpo trade, those same sources added that the Bucks weren’t prepared to accept a Golden State offer centered around Kuminga, Draymond Green, four first-round picks, and a pick swap. An “extended lack of communication” from Milwaukee this week has made the Warriors and other teams believe an Antetokounmpo move won’t be happening at this time, per The Athletic.
Even if Antetokounmpo stays put, we could still see plenty of last-minute action on Thursday. Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant is among the most notable trade candidates still on the market; the Nets still have a chunk of cap room available to help teams accommodate deals; the Timberwolves and Heat could pivot to alternative options if they don’t expect to land Giannis; and potential sellers like the Kings and Pelicans still have plenty of trade chips available to move.
As those Jazz and Wizards trades show, you also never know when two teams will decide to make a move that none of us saw coming.
We’ll be keeping tabs on all the latest news and rumors all day long on Hoops Rumors, leading up to 2:00 pm CT.
In the meantime, here are some of our features and trackers to help you prepare for today’s action:
- Trades completed so far during the 2025/26 season.
- Players with the ability to veto trades.
- Players with trade kickers.
- Players who are ineligible to be traded.
- Teams with traded player exceptions available.
- Hoops Rumors Glossary:
- Explaining salary aggregation.
- Explaining the Ted Stepien rule.
- Explaining tax aprons and the restrictions that apply to teams above those aprons.
- Traded 2026 first-round picks.
- Traded 2026 second-round picks.
- Cash sent and received in NBA trades in 2025/26.
- Teams with hard caps for 2025/26.
- NBA roster counts.
Note: The majority of these trackers are being updated as trades become official, so pending moves won’t be reflected yet.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Sweepstakes A ‘Three-Team Race’?
The Timberwolves and Heat both appear far more motivated than the Knicks to make a trade for Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo before Thursday’s deadline, Brian Windhorst said today during appearances on ESPN’s Get Up (YouTube link) and First Take (Twitter video link).
Unlike the Warriors, who have up to four tradable first-round picks, Miami can only offer two first-round picks in its package, while Minnesota and New York are unable to trade any of their own first-rounders due to the Stepien rule.
Milwaukee is said to be seeking a combination of blue-chip talent and future draft picks for its two-time MVP, so in order to make the kind of offer the Bucks are seeking, some of those teams would likely need to turn one or more of their veteran players into draft assets. The Knicks don’t appear to be doing that, Windhorst explains.
“I don’t think the Knicks have what’s required on their roster to acquire Giannis,” Windhorst said on Get Up. “So if they wanted to (acquire him), they would be out there trying to trade their current players for draft picks and young pieces that the Bucks would want, and they’re not. So I’m taking the Knicks off the list until I have further information.
“I am seeing that action from teams like the Miami Heat and Minnesota Timberwolves. They are out there trying to find ways to improve their offer. The best standing offer that I’m aware of belongs to the Golden State Warriors, but I’m not seeing a lot of momentum towards Milwaukee making a Giannis move. It is only Wednesday. We have another day-and-a-half. But I think Milwaukee is seriously considering staying put and pushing this off until summer.”
Windhorst reiterated that point during his appearance on First Take, referring to the Giannis sweepstakes as a “three-team race” involving the Timberwolves, Heat, and Warriors, unless a mystery suitor emerges.
I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of a mystery team surfacing, given how many surprises we’ve already had ahead of this week’s trade deadline. However, as Windhorst said again on First Take, the most likely outcome might be Antetokounmpo remaining in Milwaukee.
“The choice is down to Bucks ownership,” Windhorst said. “Because I know that Giannis is ready to move. Giannis is ready to move, these other teams are ready to move, there’s ancillary pieces that teams are ready to move. Is Bucks ownership – in the next 24 hours – going to say, ‘OK let’s move on from him now’? If that answer ends up being yes, you see this (trade happen).”
Windhorst added during a subsequent appearance on ESPN 710 Los Angeles (Twitter video link) that he’s not feeling “deal heat” (ie. momentum toward a trade) on the Giannis front at this time.
Here are more of the latest rumblings related to Antetokounmpo:
- While the Bucks would covet forward Jaden McDaniels in a Giannis deal with the Timberwolves, they’d also want first-round picks that Minnesota can’t currently offer, which is why the Wolves are canvassing the league in search of them, writes Chris Mannix of SI.com. One source tells Mannix that practically everyone on the roster besides Anthony Edwards is believed to be up for discussion, with as many as four teams potentially needed for a trade that would get Antetokounmpo to Minnesota.
- As the Timberwolves and Heat survey the market in an effort to maximize the value of their packages, the Warriors’ offer – which is believed to include Draymond Green, Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, and first-round picks – remains on the table and has yet to be formally declined, writes Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.
- However, the sense is that Green would need to be rerouted if Milwaukee made a deal with Golden State, with Windhorst suggesting on First Take (YouTube link) that the Lakers are one team that would share mutual interest with the longtime Warrior. “If he were traded, his plan would not be to remain in Milwaukee,” Windhorst said of Green. “He would want to be moved on. A team that would be possible if he were traded – and I can’t emphasize the number of ‘ifs’ I’ve said enough before I say this – but the Los Angeles Lakers would be a team he would have interest in and they would have interest in him. But that would require the Bucks to take action on Giannis.” Even if Green isn’t on the move today or tomorrow, Windhorst wonders if including him in these talks might be the first step toward the veteran forward and the Warriors eventually parting ways.
- According to Siegel, many rival front office executives believe the Bucks are gathering as much information as they can from Antetokounmpo suitors right now and then will take that intel into the summer, reopening Giannis trade talks at that time. Mannix also suggests that while a club like the Wolves may be pushing to get a deal done now, there are other teams around the NBA encouraging the Bucks to wait until the offseason, when they’ll be able to enter the bidding or improve their current offer. “Minnesota badly wants to get it done now,” a rival executive told Mannix. “They don’t want to get into a bidding war before the draft.”
Giannis Trade Rumors: Wolves, Warriors, Heat, Lakers, Blazers
The Bucks have ramped up trade discussions involving Giannis Antetokounmpo within the past week in the wake of a report that the two-time MVP is “ready for a new home.” However, speaking to Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Tuesday, Antetokounmpo didn’t sound like a player who is eager to move on from the only NBA team he’s ever played for.
“What I want deep down in my heart is I want to be a Milwaukee Buck for the rest of my career and win here,” Antetokounmpo said, before describing in depth how much the city of Milwaukee means to him. “… I got married in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. And also, legally, from the courthouse. And also, I’ve had my kids here. My father is buried here. When I open the passport of my kids and it says born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, my dad is buried here, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
“So people have the audacity to come tell me and say, ‘This guy really doesn’t love Milwaukee.’ I don’t love Milwaukee? Not the people that know. The people of the city know how much I love them. This city has let me be myself, let me be father, have let me (be) a husband, have let me be my own true self.”
As strong as his feelings are for Milwaukee, Antetokounmpo has also spoken repeatedly over the years about his desire to contend for more NBA championships. The 19-29 Bucks look further away from contention than they have at any point in the last decade, which is a crucial reason why both Antetokounmpo and the Bucks have become more open-minded to the idea of a trade.
“I always listen,” Antetokounmpo said when asked about his belief in the team’s ability to build a contending roster around him. “That’s why I’m still here. I always listen and trust. But what I’m trying to say, how many chances do I have left to win a championship? So, you just gotta (be) more careful and more urgent in every decision that you make moving forward. It doesn’t change. I think I’ve listened since day one and that will never change. I have great respect, love and likeness for (general manager) Jon (Horst) and the ownership and that will never be different. Won’t change. But at the end of the day …”
At this point, according to Owczarksi, Giannis paused for about eight seconds before finishing his thought.
“You gotta look.”
Here are several of the latest Antetokounmpo-related rumors:
- The Timberwolves are discussing Jaden McDaniels, Julius Randle, and Naz Reid with teams around the NBA and are in constant communication with the Bucks as they look to gather enough assets to convince Milwaukee to send Antetokounmpo to Minnesota, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, who says Giannis finds the idea of playing alongside Anthony Edwards “extremely compelling.”
- While several rival executives believe the Wolves have a path to acquiring Antetokounmpo this week, the Heat and Warriors have also made strong pitches, Siegel notes. Still, he suggests there’s “growing skepticism” about Miami’s chances of landing Giannis ahead of Thursday’s deadline (Twitter link).
- While Draymond Green, Jonathan Kuminga, and Brandin Podziemski are presumed to be key pieces in the Warriors‘ offer for Antetokounmpo (along with multiple first-round draft picks), the Bucks are reluctant to take on Green’s contract and would likely want to reroute him to a third team if their talks with Golden State progress to an advanced stage, writes Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link). Green is earning $25.9MM this season with a $27.7MM player option for 2026/27.
- The Lakers aren’t viewed as a factor in the race for Antetokounmpo at this time, but if the Bucks hang onto the star forward until the offseason, Los Angeles would become a far more viable suitor, according to Stein. While the Lakers only have one tradable first-round pick (2031 or 2032) right now, they could move up to three first-rounders (2026, 2031, and 2033) in the summer.
- Although the Trail Blazers have some level of interest in trying to trade for Antetokounmpo, the forward’s camp has continued to convey that he wouldn’t be interested in signing an extension with Portland, Stein writes, which will likely dissuade the Blazers from making an aggressive offer.
- Antetokounmpo, who is currently sidelined due to a calf strain, went through a 30-minute on-court workout on Tuesday, writes Eric Nehm of The Athletic. However, the Bucks still haven’t provided a recovery timeline or given any indication of when he might return to action.
Team Rosters For All-Star Game Revealed
The rosters for the three-team 2026 All-Star Game were revealed by the NBA on Tuesday night (Twitter link).
The USA Stars, coached by the Pistons’ J.B. Bickerstaff, will be made up of the following eight players:
Scottie Barnes- Devin Booker
- Cade Cunningham
- Jalen Duren
- Anthony Edwards
- Chet Holmgren
- Jalen Johnson
- Tyrese Maxey
The USA Stripes, coached by the Spurs’ Mitch Johnson, will have the following roster:
- Jaylen Brown
- Jalen Brunson
- Stephen Curry
- Kevin Durant
- LeBron James
- Kawhi Leonard
- Donovan Mitchell
- Norman Powell
The World team, coached by the Raptors’ Darko Rajakovic, will feature these nine players:
- Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Luka Doncic
- Deni Avdija
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- Nikola Jokic
- Jamal Murray
- Pascal Siakam
- Karl-Anthony Towns
- Victor Wembanyama
The U.S. All-Stars were assigned to teams based on age, with the younger group placed on USA Stars and the older group placed on USA Stripes. Team World is composed of international players.
The format for the Feb. 15 event consists of a round-robin mini-tournament with four 12-minute games. The matchups are as follows:
- Game 1: USA Stars vs. World
- Game 2: USA Stripes vs. winning team of Game 1
- Game 3: USA Stripes vs. losing team of Game 1
- Game 4: Championship (top two teams from round-robin play)
If all three teams finish 1-1 after the round-robin games, the first tiebreaker will be point differential across each team’s two games.
Trade Rumors: Grizzlies, Bulls, Poeltl, Draymond, Giannis, More
After shedding significant salary and creating a $28.9MM trade exception in their blockbuster deal sending Jaren Jackson Jr. to Utah, the Grizzlies are viewed as a potential landing spot for Raptors center Jakob Poeltl, reports Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints (Twitter link).
The Raptors have been discussing a possible Domantas Sabonis trade with the Kings, who have no interest in Poeltl, so a third team would likely be required if Toronto and Sacramento hope to get those talks over the finish line. Poeltl’s contract, which runs through 2029/30 and has more than $100MM left on it, is widely viewed as a negative asset, so Memphis would need to be incentivized to take it on.
The Bulls are also considered a potential facilitator for Poeltl, according to Siegel (Twitter link), but as things stand, Chicago would have to send out salary to accommodate the veteran center’s incoming $19.5MM cap hit, whereas Memphis wouldn’t.
We have more trade rumors on a busy day around the NBA:
- While it was essentially a given, based on reports that the Warriors weren’t including Jimmy Butler in their offer for Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Slater of ESPN confirms that Golden State has included 14th-year veteran Draymond Green in active trade conversations with Milwaukee. Without Butler involved, the Warriors would need to use Green’s $25.9MM salary for matching purposes in order to have a shot at Giannis.
- The Heat have expressed “some level” of interest in Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant in recent weeks, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter link), but their focus remains squarely on Antetokounmpo. One source who spoke to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (subscription required) suggested Miami figures to remain involved in both fronts, since it wouldn’t be impossible for the team to land both players if Memphis’ asking price is low enough.
- The Timberwolves also remain in on Antetokounmpo, but they’re exploring other possible avenues on the trade market and have a lot of balls up in the air, per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link), who cautions that Minnesota’s cost-cutting deal involving Mike Conley doesn’t necessarily mean the team will be acquiring Giannis.
- After agreeing to acquire Jackson from Memphis, the Jazz may not be done, tweets Tony Jones of The Athletic. Siegel (Twitter link) hears that Utah remains “very active,” with Jusuf Nurkic and his $19.3MM expiring contract included in the team’s trade discussions.
- Mavericks forward Naji Marshall has been the subject of some trade speculation in recent weeks, but he doesn’t want to go anywhere. Marshall tells Ron Harrod Jr. of DLLS Sports (subscription required) that he’d like to spend the rest of his career playing alongside rising star Cooper Flagg, adding that he expects Flagg to “create history.”
Rival Teams Skeptical Bucks Will Trade Giannis This Week
A two-time Most Valuable Player could be on the move this week, with the Bucks listening to offers on Giannis Antetokounmpo and several clubs believed to be in pursuit of the superstar forward. However, teams around the NBA aren’t convinced that Milwaukee will actually pull the trigger on a deal involving Antetokounmpo within the next 50 hours or so.
According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, as of Monday evening, the offers on the table for Antetokounmpo were said to be “underwhelming” enough that most agents and rival executives he spoke to believe the saga will carry over into the offseason.
Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link) also cites a “healthy skepticism” across the league that the Bucks will move their longtime this week, while ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps share a similar sentiment.
“Everyone is preparing for this to happen in the summer,” one Western Conference executive told ESPN.
As Windhorst and Bontemps explain, a team like the Warriors – who can offer virtually all of their future first-round picks and swaps at this time – could put a similar pick-heavy offer on the table in the offseason. Meanwhile, some suitors who have a shortage of tradable first-rounders due to the Stepien and seven-year rules will have more flexibility to offer picks at this year’s draft when restrictions lift on certain selections, meaning they could improve their offers at that point.
The Bucks would also have clarity following the draft lottery about where their own first-round pick – and every other 2026 selection – will actually land. That would give them a better sense of the value of any 2026 first-rounders included in offers for Giannis, as well as an idea of what sort of potential cornerstone they could land with their own selection.
Additionally, Bontemps notes, there may be teams who expect to make a deep playoff run this spring and instead get bounced from the postseason early, prompting them to either enter the Giannis sweepstakes or to get more aggressive in terms of what they’re willing to offer for him.
Still, plenty of teams with interest in Antetokounmpo appear motivated to try to get a deal done now. The Warriors, Heat, Timberwolves, and Knicks have been the suitors cited most frequently, but they aren’t necessarily the only clubs in the mix. Windhorst said today during an ESPN Cleveland appearance (Twitter video link) that the Cavaliers are among the teams to call Milwaukee about Antetokounmpo too, and that they’ve also inquired on Mavericks big man Anthony Davis.
The Cavs aren’t permitted to aggregate two or more player salaries as long as they’re operating over the second tax apron, and both Giannis and AD have higher cap hits ($54MM+) than anyone on Cleveland’s roster, so the team would need to shed significant salary in order to realistically make a play for either star. The Cavs are currently operating about $14MM over the second apron.
While the Cavs may not end up making a blockbuster deal, it certainly sounds as if they’re more open than ever to discussing players who had previously been viewed as off limits, such as Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen, according to Windhorst (Twitter video link), who suggested that concerns about the current group’s championship upside and Donovan Mitchell‘s willingness to sign an extension in the offseason are likely driving Cleveland’s approach to the deadline.
The Bucks are believed to be prioritizing impact players in their Giannis trade discussions, says Amick, which could improve the Cavs’ chances for Antetokounmpo if they can figure out a way to make the money work. At this point, Cleveland only has one first-round pick to offer (either 2031 or 2032).
The Cavs don’t necessarily have to get below the second apron to make a significant shake-up though. They’re reportedly in talks with the Clippers about a possible deal involving Garland and James Harden, with NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link) reporting within the past hour that the two teams have ramped up those conversations as they try to reach an agreement before Thursday’s deadline.
Heat Notes: Rozier, Ware, Young Players, Powell, Herro
Terry Rozier won a salary dispute against the NBA on Monday when an arbitrator ruled in favor of the Heat guard, reports David Purdum of ESPN.com. Rozier was placed on unpaid leave by the league at the end of October, six days after he was arrested on federal charges related to a gambling investigation.
The 31-year-old pleaded not guilty conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering in December.
Rozier is on an expiring $26.6MM contract. His full salary will be released after the arbitrator found the NBA violated the Collective Bargaining Agreement, as only players who are involved in cases of domestic or child abuse can be placed on unpaid leave, sources familiar with the ruling tell Purdum.
The National Basketball Players Association, which appealed the ruling on Rozier’s behalf, released the following statement to ESPN:
“We are pleased with the arbitrator’s ruling and remain committed to ensuring Terry’s due process rights are protected and that he is afforded the presumption of innocence throughout this process.”
Here’s more on the Heat:
- Kel’el Ware is reportedly expected to be included in the offer the Heat make for Giannis Antetokounmpo. The second-year center admits he’s heard those rumors, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. “Of course, I’ve seen it,” Ware said Saturday. “My people have told me. But at the end of the day, if they make that decision, they make that decision. If not, then I’m just going to continue to go out here and play regardless.” As Chiang writes, Ware played a season-low three minutes in Saturday’s loss to Chicago, continuing a downward trend — he has averaged just 13.2 minutes per game over his past 10 appearances, well below his mark for the season (22.6 MPG). Head coach Erik Spoelstra said the decision to limit Ware’s playing time was because the game was “so fast” and the Bulls’ advantages were due to their “speed and quickness.” “I can’t control it,” Ware said. “I mean, it is what it is. I mean, whatever he feels like that he perceives or feels like playing.”
- As Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald observes (Twitter links), if the Heat are trying to acquire Giannis, Spoelstra isn’t exactly doing a great job of painting Ware as the blue-chip prospect Milwaukee is seeking. Spoelstra was critical of Ware a few weeks ago – though he walked back those comments the next day – and suggesting the 21-year-old center struggles against fast, small-ball lineups and limiting his playing time is “really puzzling,” Jackson writes. For what it’s worth, Ware scored 17 points in 18 minutes during Miami’s blowout Sunday victory over Chicago.
- After Sunday’s game, Spoelstra opened his media session by making unprompted comments about Ware and his overall handling of the team’s young players, saying he wants to do a better job of finding the right balance of holding that group accountable while also aiding their development and boosting their confidence, per Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. “Since one of you guys will probably ask about Kel’el,” Spoelstra said. “Kel’el gave us really solid minutes tonight. I was encouraged by his defensive activity. He’s part of that young-gun crew, as well. And offensively he moved the ball when he needed to, he gave us the vertical spacing when he needed to. He shot the three when he needed to. So those things I think we can build on.”
- Veteran wing Norman Powell was named to his first All-Star team on Sunday evening, but he was away from the team for the second straight game due to personal reasons, Winderman notes. “My peers around the league after games and things like that are telling me that I’m an All-Star and that I should be there,” he said. “But I do believe that I am an All-Star. I’ve always seen myself as that, and something that I’ve always wanted to work towards.”
- Tyler Herro, who has been limited to just 11 appearances this season due to injuries, including missing 10 straight contests with a rib issue, will not defend his three-point title at All-Star weekend, Winderman adds in another story. The 26-year-old guard, who made his first All-Star appearance last season, is focused on getting healthy, Winderman writes.