As we are one week out from the NBA Draft, the unofficial deadline for a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, and talks around that trade — and rumors of trade talks — are heating up.
That much we know. Where Antetokounmpo gets traded and for whom — or if there is a surprising twist still to come — remains undecided. But it seems to be a two-team race. Here’s the latest.
Miami or Boston?
The Heat and the Celtics remain not just the frontrunners to land Antetokounmpo but really the only teams in the race. However, which one is in the league depends on who you ask: Miami not only remains the most likely option according to the league sources NBC Sports has spoken with, but also those sources have grown increasingly confident that the Heat ultimately will be the spot. There is growing skepticism about Boston’s seriousness, as reported by Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe during an appearance on NBC Sports Boston.
However, ESPN’s Vince Goodwill said he has been told Milwaukee thinks Miami is in the lead.
The Bucks appear not to be thrilled with the Heat’s offer, reports Brian Windhorst at ESPN.
The Bucks seem to not be in love with the Heat’s offer(s) and continue to discuss trade packages with other teams, team sources say. That said, Miami has been able to improve what it can offer since the trade deadline.
Miami’s offer reportedly focuses on Tyler Herro (a Wisconsin native), Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and a couple of first-round picks, including No. 13 in this draft. Herro is the oldest of those players at 26. The buzz that the Bucks don’t like it sounds like spin and public negotiation, as Milwaukee tries to get the most out of this deal — they want to pressure the Heat to add more.
Boston provides that pressure. The Celtics’ offer reportedly could involve All-NBA wing Jaylen Brown, coming off the best season of his career, plus other players and a number of picks. Boston made an offer, according to Bill Simmons of The Ringer, but did not provide details on what it included.
The first question becomes: Do the Celtics really want to do this trade? They get older, Antetokounmpo has had a concerning injury history that has hit hard in recent playoffs, and he wants a max extension, with the last couple of years of that deal potentially being an expensive anchor.
Plus, this would force Boston coach Joe Mazzulla to play a different style — which may be the point. At his end of season press conference, Celtics president Brad Stevens said he wanted the team to attack the rim more, one way to force that adjustment is to bring in a player who only attacks the rim and is not a guy you want shooting 3s.
Is breaking up a Brown and Jayson Tatum pairing that is entering its prime and has already won a ring wise? On top of all that, it would take at least a third team to get a trade done, because Brown is not on Milwaukee’s new timeline, the Bucks don’t want him as a player, they will want to flip him for younger players and picks.
Miami’s offer is at least as good, if not better and is more straightforward. That said, it’s Milwaukee’s job to get the best offer it can, so why wrap it up now? Wait until close to the draft, just in case.
