The Miami Heat are one of the teams keeping an eye on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s situation with the Milwaukee Bucks, according to NBA insider Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated.
Antetokounmpo recently admitted that he would leave the Bucks if there’s a better situation to win an NBA championship. Milwaukee won the 2021 title over the Phoenix Suns but lost in the second round of the 2022 playoffs to the Boston Celtics and fell to the Heat in the first round of the 2023 playoffs.
The Heat want to acquire Damian Lillard from the Portland Trail Blazers. However, the Heat and Blazers haven’t made any progress on a trade. Lillard requested a trade from the Blazers to the Heat on July 1. In the nearly three months since that request became public, no substantial trade conversations have taken place between Miami and Portland.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks Updates
Antetokounmpo doesn’t want to spend his entire NBA career with the Bucks and not win another championship. The future Hall of Famer told NBA reporter Tania Ganguli of The New York Times that he will not sign an extension this year. The two-time MVP is eligible for a contract extension right now.
“The real question’s not going to be this year — numbers-wise it doesn’t make sense,” Antetokounmpo said. “But next year, next summer it would make more sense for both parties. Even then, I don’t know.”
Antetokounmpo added: “I would not be the best version of myself if I don’t know that everybody’s on the same page, everybody’s going for a championship, everybody’s going to sacrifice time away from their family like I do. And if I don’t feel that, I’m not signing.”
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks Updates
One of the greatest players in NBA history, Antetokounmpo has career averages of 22.6 points, 9.6 rebounds and 4.7 assists. He has won the Most Improved Player of the Year Award, two regular-season MVPs, one Finals MVP and one Defensive Player of the Year Award with the Bucks.
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