The Miami Heat’s faint hopes of pairing Giannis Antetokounmpo with Bam Adebayo may have received a boost after the Milwaukee Bucks superstar addressed the trade rumors linking him to the New York Knicks.
On Tuesday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the Knicks and Bucks engaged in an “exclusive” round of trade discussions in August after Antetokounmpo identified New York as his preferred destination outside Milwaukee. Those talks, however, never advanced beyond the exploratory stage.
“First of all, I haven’t read that story,” Antetokounmpo said following Wednesday’s practice. “When the season starts, I try to get off social media and focus on my craft and the team. But yeah, I’ve said this many times: I want to be in a situation where I can win — and right now, I’m here. I believe in this team. I believe in my teammates. I’m here to lead this team to wherever we can go. It’s definitely going to be hard, but I’m here. So all the other extra stuff does not matter.”
Giannis Stops Short of Long-Term Commitment
While Antetokounmpo reaffirmed his focus on the Bucks, he notably stopped short of guaranteeing a long-term future in Milwaukee, leaving the door slightly ajar for other suitors if the team falters.
“I think I’ve communicated with my teammates and the people I respect that the moment I step on this court or in this facility, the rest does not matter,” he said. “I’m locked into whatever I have in front of me. Now, if in six, seven months I change my mind, I think that’s human too. You’re allowed to make any decision you want. But I’m locked in — to this team, to these guys, to this coaching staff, and to myself.”
That statement was enough to reignite speculation around the league, especially in Miami, where the Heat front office has been closely monitoring the situation.
Heat Prepared to Make an Offer
If Antetokounmpo changes his mind before the Feb. 5 trade deadline, the Heat are reportedly ready to make an offer. According to The Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson, only Bam Adebayo remains untouchable in any potential Giannis discussions.
After refusing to part with promising rookie big man Kel’el Ware in their pursuit of Kevin Durant earlier this summer, the Heat may be pivoting.
“If Giannis Antetokounmpo had asked out, the Heat was prepared to make an offer that did not include Bam Adebayo, according to a source,” Jackson reported. “But it’s unlikely any such offer would have been seriously considered. If Antetokounmpo requests a trade at some point, it remains to be seen if the Heat would ever change its mind about offering Adebayo.”
Jackson also noted that Antetokounmpo shares the same agent — Octagon managing director Alex Saratsis — as Adebayo, making it improbable the two would want to play on separate teams. “It’s unlikely that the Bucks star would want to join a Heat team without Adebayo,” Jackson added. “So it’s all likely moot.”
Knicks Talks Fade, Market Reopens
For much of the summer, the Knicks appeared to be Antetokounmpo’s lone preferred destination outside Milwaukee. Charania reported that his agent conducted “serious due diligence” on potential fits across the league, but New York emerged as the only team Antetokounmpo expressed interest in joining.
“The Bucks insisted to the Knicks that they preferred not to move Antetokounmpo,” Charania wrote. “Milwaukee believes New York did not make a strong enough offer to continue even discussing a trade.”
But that dynamic has changed. Charania revealed on ESPN’s NBA Today that the Knicks’ exclusive negotiating window has officially closed.
“That window is obviously shut,” Charania said. “We’re not in August anymore — we’re now in October. If things reopen during the season with this whole Giannis Antetokounmpo element, that window is no longer exclusive to the Knicks. Other NBA teams will enter the picture. I expect it to go beyond just New York.”
Miami Faces Uphill Climb
The end of the Knicks’ exclusivity gives the Heat new hope — but also new competition. The Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, and San Antonio Spurs are all believed to have stronger trade assets, including a mix of draft capital and young talent that Miami currently lacks.
Still, with the organization’s long history of star pursuits and the mutual respect between Antetokounmpo and Adebayo, Miami will almost certainly keep monitoring the situation.
For now, Antetokounmpo insists his focus is on the Bucks. But if Milwaukee’s season veers off course, the Heat — armed with Bam, Ware, and a Milwaukee native Tyler Herro — could be ready to make their move.
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