Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo told at least one teammate this past summer that he thought a New York Knicks trade was nearly finalized, according to NBA insider Jake Fischer of The Stein Line.
The Knicks have already been linked to Antetokounmpo, but three other teams could potentially pursue the two-time NBA MVP during the 2027 offseason.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Could Be Traded Soon
Per Spotrac, Antetokounmpo remains under contract through 2027-28, but he can become a free agent in the 2027 offseason if he declines his $62.8 million player option.
That’s when three teams could come into play.
“We’ve been hearing for some time now that a variety of teams — Clippers, Heat, Lakers — have been preserving cap space for the 2027 offseason, when Antetokounmpo could test unrestricted free agency by bypassing his player option for 2027-28,” Fischer wrote.
However, there is a chance that Antetokounmpo could be traded before then.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Wednesday that Antetokounmpo and his agent, Alex Saratsis, are having conversations with the Bucks about the nine-time All-Star’s future.
That includes “discussing whether his best fit is staying or a move elsewhere. … A resolution to these talks is expected in the coming weeks,” per Charania.
According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, Antetokounmpo will be eligible for a four-year, $275 million maximum extension through the 2030-31 season, starting on Oct. 1, 2026.
If moved, he’d be able to sign the same deal with another team six months after a trade.
Clippers, Lakers Unlikely To Make Trade
Neither the Clippers nor Lakers can pull off the best trade deal for Antetokounmpo. It is unlikely that Milwaukee would be interested in Bradley Beal or Kawhi Leonard, two high-salary and oft-injured stars.
The Clippers announced last month that Beal would undergo season-ending surgery on a hip fracture, while Leonard hasn’t been the same player since leading the Toronto Raptors to their first-ever NBA title in 2019.
That leaves James Harden, who declined his $36.3 million player option over the summer to re-sign on a two-year, $81.5 million contract. The second year of Harden’s deal is a player option and is partially guaranteed, according to Spotrac.
Harden, draft picks, and role players may not be enough to entire Milwaukee.
Meanwhile, the Lakers could form a Big Three in Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Antetokounmpo, but they would have to give up Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, Dalton Knecht, and multiple first-round picks.
It’s not an ideal trade for a team that has gone 16-5 this season with those players.
The Bucks would also not accept a Lakers trade package that doesn’t include Reaves, who is going to be a free agent in 2026. Losing the breakout star would be huge for L.A.
A trade would benefit the Lakers more if they can find a way to retain Reaves.
Why Heat Could Land Antetokounmpo
Out of those three teams, the Heat seem more likely to acquire Antetokounmpo than either the Clippers or Lakers.
Since Antetokounmpo is earning $54 million this season, the Heat would have to offer the Bucks at least one of Tyler Herro, Bam Adebayo, Terry Rozier, Andrew Wiggins, or Norman Powell in a deal for salary-matching purposes.
Rozier is not an appealing trade candidate due to his disappointing play and gambling investigation, but Miami sending both Herro and Adebayo for Antetokounmpo makes sense.
The Heat could even throw in future first-round picks to sweeten the deal.
But even then, NBA insider Zach Lowe noted during his YouTube podcast that Miami’s offer would have to involve at least one promising young player.
“The Heat can trade two first round picks as of now because of the pick they owe Charlotte. That’s all they can trade. They can trade some swaps,” he said.
“The negotiations begin and end with Kel’el Ware. If Ware is not in the deal, then we’re just not talking. Because Tyler Herro, Andrew Wiggins, that’s cool. Those guys are fine. They’re not keeping me relevant.”
Young star Kel’el Ware is the main trade asset that Milwaukee would want in return.
