Do Heat have edge over Celtics in potential Giannis Antetokounmpo trade? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Now that the NBA Finals are over, the biggest story in basketball is the future of Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Antetokounmpo has played the first 13 years of his career with the Bucks and led the franchise to a championship in 2021 — its first since 1971.
But it appears his time in Milwaukee could be comingto an end, and with the 2026 NBA Draft set to begin next Tuesday, a deal could potentially happen in the short term.
The two teams most often mentioned in Antetokounmpo trade rumors over the last few weeks have been the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics.
The Heat are seemingly always in the mix when a huge star is rumored to be available. The Celtics need an upgrade at center and have the ability to put together a compelling trade package. And unlike several other contenders, the C’s still control a bunch of their future first-round picks.
So, which team has the edge in the race for Antetokounmpo? What’s the latest on this situation? The Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn provided an update on Monday’s edition of NBC Sports Boston’s Boston Sports Tonight.
“I don’t think (Giannis) is going to be a Celtic, and that’s just from what I’m hearing,’ Washburn said. “I think the Celtics are gauging what it would take to get Giannis to Boston and trying to figure out whether they want to move Jaylen Brown.”
Washburn later added: “I do think Miami has the edge on this, but I do think Boston is kinda sniffing around and finding out could you even acquire Giannis without sacrificing Jaylen? That would be a big question. What is exactly Milwaukee looking for? Who is the third team involved? Because it’s gonna have to be a third team involved.”
Tim Reynolds, a Miami-based NBA writer for the Associated Press, gave the following update on X late Monday night.
There’s no question that Antetokounmpo is still an elite player entering his age 32 season. His record speaks for itself: Two league MVPs, 10 All-Star appearances, nine All-NBA appearances (seven first team), a Finals MVP and one championship, among other accolades.
Antetokounmpo is also two years older than Brown and more injury prone. The Bucks star played in only 36 games last season and has appeared in 70-plus games in a single season only once since 2019. Antetokounmpo also has advanced past the first round of the playoffs just once since 2022, and outside of the 2021 title, the Bucks have been perennial playoff underachievers.
We also have plenty of evidence that the duo of Brown and Jayson Tatum is championship-caliber. They have played in five Eastern Conference Finals and two NBA Finals (one title in 2024) together.
Either way, it’ll be fascinating to watch the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes play out. A top-five player being traded always shifts the balance of power in the league.
