Giannis

Antetokounmpo

Giannis made his first unofficial appearance for the Heat, playing 14 minutes in the first half. The veteran forward didn’t miss a shot from the field and led the team with seven assists. One can’t take too much from a preseason game, especially with Giannis’ playing time being managed. But the seven assists are something to build on, as consistent production in that category may help compensate for Antetokounmpo’s poor free-throw percentage.

Larsson carved out a solid role for the Heat last season, starting 54 of the 70 regular-season games and averaging 11.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game overall. He should again be a part of the nightly rotation in his third NBA season for a Miami team that expects to have a much higher ceiling with the offseason acquisition of Giannis Antetokounmpo. From a fantasy perspective, Larsson could take another leap in production and build in 2026-27 on a strong end to his second season.

Antetokounmpo is heading south with Bobby Portis, with Milwaukee receiving Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakučionis, three future first-round picks, one first-round pick swap and one second-round pick. The Heat were the most persistent team in their pursuit of Antetokounmpo, and a deal was finalized the night before the 2026 NBA Draft. While he is one of the most dominant players in the league, Giannis’s health has been an issue recently. Multiple calf injuries limited him to 36 games last season, and the Greek Freak has exceeded 70 regular-season games once since 2018-19. When available, he can offer first-round value, especially to fantasy managers punting free-throw percentage, but the Heat will have some spacing issues to address between Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo.

With the 2025-26 season in the rear-view mirror, Antetokounmpo’s future is the focus of most of the NBA. Bucks owner Jimmy Haslam said during the introductory press conference for head coach Taylor Jenkins that he expected a resolution of some kind before the June 23 NBA Draft. While Antetokounmpo can’t sign an extension with the Bucks until October 1, a verbal commitment would put the trade discussions to rest. However, Windhorst reported on Monday that the Bucks’ forward is “focused” on a move to Miami, which has previously expressed interest in acquiring him. “He has focused on wanting to be a member of the Miami Heat. And because he only has one year on his contract, he has some control over that,” Windhorst said. “But the Heat and the Bucks have been talking for months and not agreed to a deal, because the Bucks don’t love the Heat’s offer. There are third teams involved. There are fourth teams involved.” Boston has also been rumored as a possible destination for Antetokounmpo, but not to the same extent as Miami.

Bucks decision-makers went on the record earlier this spring, saying that either Antetokounmpo will agree to a contract extension or the franchise will look to move him. He can’t officially sign a new deal until October 1, but the franchise can ill afford to wait that long for a solution. Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam said during the introductory press conference for new head coach Taylor Jenkins that the expectation is a solution regarding Giannis’ future will be reached before the June 23-24 NBA Draft. Given the skill set, there should be a robust market for Antetokounmpo, even with lower-body injuries limiting him to a career-low 36 games in 2025-26.

To no one’s surprise, Antetokounmpo will not play in Sunday’s season finale. Turner is also out, which means more playing time and a likely start for Jericho Sims. Pete Nance is questionable, and his minutes are likely to increase if he can play.

Antetokounmpo will remain out for another game, and fans may have seen him play for the final time this season. Ousmane Dieng and Pete Nance have played increased minutes recently, with the former offering a higher ceiling for those in active fantasy leagues.

While Antetokounmpo has insisted that he’s healthy and wants to play, sparking an ongoing investigation by the NBA, the Bucks continue to hold him out. Pete Nance was the starting power forward in Friday’s loss to the Celtics and recorded the first double-double of his NBA career. Given the Bucks’ injuries, he’s worth a roll of the dice in deep leagues.

It’s unclear how close the Bucks were to trading Antetokounmpo over the past year, but Edens wasn’t mincing his words in an interview with ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. The Bucks co-owner made it clear that the organization has no plans to let the 31-year-old power forward play out the last season on his contract without an extension. Until a deal is made, expect trade rumors to continue to swirl around Antetokounmpo as we head into the summer.

Milwaukee believes it will be mutually beneficial if he sits out the rest of the season, likely since it would help improve their lottery odds. However, Antetokounmpo wants to play. He’s set to be re-evaluated early next week after being diagnosed with a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise. This clear tension will certainly continue to fan the flames of trade rumors that have surrounded Giannis and the Bucks for most of the season.