DHJ Quick Take: Bucks Set a High Bar as Giannis Antetokounmpo Talks Heat Up
Rival teams describe Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo asking price as unrealistic, with Miami out front as the draft nears.
- What’s the holdup? Teams say the Bucks are asking for a return that would leave any buyer unable to contend.
- Who’s leading? Miami’s confirmed package starts with Herro, Ware, Jaquez, and the No. 13 pick, plus more expected.
- Who else is involved? Minnesota circled back on an Edwards pairing but found the price higher than in February, while Boston can’t deal without including Jaylen Brown.
- What’s next? Co-owner Jimmy Haslam set a draft-night deadline, with the first round Tuesday, 7 p.m. CT, ABC/ESPN.
Milwaukee’s asking price in trade talks for Giannis Antetokounmpo has landed on rival front offices as out of step with the market, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported, even as the Miami Heat firm up as the leading suitor ahead of Tuesday’s NBA Draft.
Fischer wrote that team after team has come back with the same word to describe what Milwaukee Bucks general manager Jon Horst is seeking — “unrealistic.” The Bucks are said to be asking for a haul so steep that it would leave any acquiring team too thin to contend, which runs counter to the very situation Antetokounmpo is believed to want if he commits long-term somewhere new.
Miami Heat Emerge as the Front-Runner
Miami’s confirmed framework centers on Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and the No. 13 pick, with additional draft capital and/or players expected to be attached.
Co-owner Jimmy Haslam set the timeline back in early May, volunteering publicly that Milwaukee intends to trade Antetokounmpo by draft night if it can’t secure a long-term commitment from him.
That self-imposed deadline has framed everything since, and Fischer reported that the Bucks have spent the week trying to find a package they like better than Miami’s, while operating as though they already have a workable offer.
Minnesota Timberwolves Circle Back on Anthony Edwards Pairing
The Minnesota Timberwolves re-engaged the Bucks this week about pairing Antetokounmpo with Anthony Edwards, an idea that’s quietly appealed to Giannis for some time, according to The Stein Line.
Minnesota was among the teams at the forefront of the chase over the winter, along with the Golden State Warriors and Miami, but Fischer noted the Bucks are now asking for even more than they did at February’s deadline.
A Softer Market Than the Milwaukee Bucks Expected
Part of Milwaukee’s challenge is that the broader market it anticipated in May and June hasn’t materialized as hoped. Fischer reported that Houston, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, and the newly crowned champion New York Knicks haven’t come calling, which narrows the field considerably.
Boston remains a name to watch, but the Boston Celtics understand they can’t construct a deal without including 2024 NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown, and they’re reluctant to attach much more alongside him.
Where Tyler Herro Fits
Herro adds an extra wrinkle, given that he’s a Milwaukee native and there’s said to be mutual interest between him and the Bucks.
Even so, Fischer reported Milwaukee is trending toward a full reset if it moves Antetokounmpo, and the front office could flip Herro again for additional future assets, with the Detroit Pistons among the teams that have shown interest in landing him via the Bucks.
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