A new team has seemingly entered the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes.
The Knicks remain at the forefront of conversations surrounding a potential blockbuster trade for the Milwaukee Bucks superstar, but a new report from The Athletic’s Sam Amick identified the Heat as a “great fit” that could swing in and lure Antetokounmpo to South Beach.
“If the Knicks thing is too hard to execute,” Amick said during a Tuesday appearance (all times US) on FanDuel’s “Run It Back” show, “maybe (Giannis) looks at Miami and tries to make that work.”
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While acknowledging that Antetokounmpo’s “business sense” and pursuit to maximise his celebrity best fit in New York, Amick cited Miami’s “culture” and “appetite” to pursue stars — especially when removed from true title contention — as qualities that could compel the Heat to make a splash for the former Finals MVP.
“They have a lot of good things going for them,” he said. “The culture is intact; we know the interest is there… I think Miami could be a great fit if the Knicks thing isn’t there.”
It comes as ESPN’s Shams Charania revealed the Bucks locker room is “starting to feel the tension” between Antetokounmpo and the team over the trade whispers.
The 31-year-old Antetokounmpo, currently sidelined with a calf strain, has long been linked to New York and even listed the Knicks as his preferred destination in the event of a potential trade ahead of the 2025-26 season, according to Charania.
The Knicks, who own a 16–7 record and the second seed in the Eastern Conference, had discussions on a potential deal, The Post’s Stefan Bondy reported, but couldn’t come to an agreement.
Antetokounmpo’s trade market thawed earlier this month, when Charania dropped a bombshell report that the nine-time All-Star and his agent Alex Saratsis began conversations with the 10–15 Bucks about his future with the team — leaving the door open for a potential trade.
Charania added Tuesday that Antetokounmpo’s contract status affords him “significant sway” in his landing spot.
“Executives believe the NBA’s new apron rules, combined with his maximum salary and supermax extension to come, make a trade difficult and would require him to show a desire to sign long term with the team that deals for him,” Charania wrote. “That gives him a seat at the table for his future.”
With a resolution expected in the coming weeks, time will tell if Antetokounmpo wants out of Milwaukee, and whether he’d prefer a move into a brownstone apartment — or a beachside villa.
-This story was originally published in the New York Post and reproduced with permission.
THREE POTENTIAL SUITORS FOR AD
Trade talk surrounding Anthony Davis won’t go away, despite the 9-16 Dallas Mavericks gathering some momentum with three wins from their last four games.
If Davis is eventually put on the trade table and the Mavs commit to retooling around Cooper Flagg, there’s three teams poised to make a move for the star centre.
ESPN’s Shams Charania revealed Eastern Conference contenders Detroit Pistons, Atlanta Hawks are expected to be suitors for Davis in a bid to elevate them to title-contending calibre teams.
‘The writing is on the wall’ | 01:46
Dyson Daniels’ Hawks have already been touted as a potential Giannis Antetokounmpo contender and Atlanta has one of the most valuable trade chips in the league with the 3-22 Pelicans’ 2026 first-round pick.
Davis, who turns 33 in March, is eligible for a four-year, $275 million max extension that would see him earn north of $76 million in his age-37 season.
He was sensationally traded from the LA Lakers for Luka Doncic last February.
Davis has played in 10 of a possible 25 game this season after being sidelined with a calf injury, while Kyrie Irving remains out while he rehabs a torn ACL.
Dallas is also open to exploring the trade market for Daniel Gafford and guards Klay Thompson and D’Angelo Russell, according to Charania.
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