New Giannis Trade Rumors on Bucks' Timeline After Not Getting An Offer They'd Accept Before Draft

The Milwaukee Bucks' informal deadline for a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade could be flexible.

Co-owner Jimmy Haslam said he wants to have Antetokounmpo's status settled by the start of the 2026 NBA draft on June 23.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported Thursday on Get Up the Bucks "have yet to receive an offer that they're willing to accept." Because of that, it's "possible" the saga could stretch past the draft:

NBA insider Chris Haynes suggested Wednesday on SiriusXM NBA Radio's Deals & Dunks the Bucks could wait until the start of free agency in July:

This appears to all stem from the fact the Miami Heat are the most aggressive bidder but can't make Milwaukee the most compelling deal.

The Stein Line's Jake Fischer reported on June 11 the Heat's "widely presumed" offer is guard Tyler Herro, center Kel'el Ware and forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. along with draft picks.

That's not exactly an overwhelming return for a generational star.

Unfortunately for the Bucks, nobody else is really stepping up to the plate.

The Boston Celtics have been linked with Giannis, but ESPN's Marc J. Spears reported Wednesday that Jaylen Brown doesn't want to play in Milwaukee. He'd be going from a franchise regularly contending for a title to one entering a rebuild.

Making a bad trade purely to fulfill the predraft deadline would be the wrong move for Milwaukee, and there are a lot of teams that could theoretically make a play for Antetokounmpo.

The trouble is, the biggest impediment for those prospective suitors isn't going to change between now and July or at any other point in the offseason.

The two-time MVP has just one guaranteed year left on his contract. It's simply not worth it to surrender valuable trade assets for a player who could be gone next summer.

The NBA's draft lottery reforms further complicate things. Franchises with young cornerstones such as the Cleveland Cavaliers (Evan Mobley) and Orlando Magic (Paolo Banchero) will prefer the sure thing over gambling on Antetokounmpo and having to rebuild in 2027.

If they don't trade Giannis by draft night, the Bucks could be simply delaying the inevitable if the Heat remain the leader in a one-horse race.