NBA Insiders Sound Off on Giannis Trade Rumors Amid Heat Buzz, Talk Potential Landing Spots

All things being equal, the Miami Heat aren't the front-runner to land Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo in the eyes of ESPN's Tim Bontemps.

Bontemps and colleagues Brian Windhorst and Tim MacMahon discussed the Giannis trade saga in the newest episode of the Hoop Collective. They provided a general lay of the land and explained why the Heat could face an uphill battle.

"At the end of the day, though, it goes back to the original point. I think if Giannis winds up in Miami, it's because the Heat were the last team standing," Bontemps said at the 7:37 mark of the clip below. "I think if there's other teams in the race, at least for me, if I was (general manager) Jon Horst in Milwaukee and I was looking at it, the Heat package is fine. But it's not enough for me if any of these other teams decide to get in the mix."

To underline the point, Windhorst and Bontemps posited the Cleveland Cavaliers could outbid Miami if they're prepared to put young forward Evan Mobley on the table. Based on the reporting so far, that's not going to happen.

Calling it a "hypothetical based in some reality," Windhorst then discussed the Boston Celtics making a run at Antetokounmpo and sending out five-time All-Star Jaylen Brown. That's a pretty straightforward swap financially, but acquiring Brown wouldn't make a ton of sense for Milwaukee if the franchise is pivoting toward a rebuild.

MacMahon chimed in to say Orlando Magic star Paolo Banchero is a more logical fit than Brown if the Magic were prepared to make a win-now blockbuster.

The NBA insiders were similarly lukewarm on whether the Minnesota Timberwolves or Golden State Warriors could make a compelling offer to the Bucks. The players they'd be most likely to trade are on the older side and have huge contracts.

Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam signaled in May he wants a resolution on Antetokounmpo one way or the other by the draft. That could mean trading the two-time MVP or getting everyone on the same page about him sticking around.

NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer reported Tuesday that "there really is a growing expectation throughout the NBA" that Milwaukee will deal Giannis prior to the draft. That point is rapidly approaching with the draft getting underway on June 23.

Antetokounmpo holds a lot of the cards thanks to his 2027-28 player option. Giving away the farm to land him isn't worth it if he has little desire to sign a long-term extension.

That could be a godsend for the Heat if they're one of the suitors for whom he's willing to play beyond the next season.