It’s time for the Milwaukee Bucks to make a decision in the long-rumored Giannis Antetokounmpo trade sweepstakes. The 2026 NBA Draft is Tuesday night, and if the Bucks want to acquire more picks in this draft, now is the time to trade their franchise player. Bucks ownership has already indicated that Antetokounmpo will be traded this summer if he doesn’t sign a contract extension as he enters the final year of his deal. There’s reportedly only two teams left in the bidding.
Giannis trade rumors: 2 teams still in mix after Celtics include Jaylen Brown in offer
A Giannis trade is reportedly coming before the draft, and there’s two teams left.
Ricky O'Donnell has covered basketball at all levels for more than a decade at SB Nation. He’s currently the Associate Director of Programming.
ESPN’s Shams Charania said the Bucks will “reach a resolution” on the Giannis trade saga before the draft. Charania said Giannis is ready to be traded, and it currenly looks like it will be a two-team deal rather than a multi-team construction.
There’s strong mutual interest between the Miami Heat and Antetokounmpo. The Heat’s offer has been similar since the Feb. trade deadline, with a package built around Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and multiple first-round picks, including the No. 13 overall selection in the 2026 draft. The Bucks are reportedly lukewarm on taking back Herro, a Milwaukee native, and could re-route him to a third team, with the Detroit Pistons being connected to the scoring guard over the weekend.
The Boston Celtics are the other team in the mix for Antetokounmpo, and they are now reportedly willing to include Jaylen Brown in their trade offer. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported that “Brown is on the table, and he could get traded for Giannis in the short-term future.” Watch the full clip here:
It remains unclear what else Boston would include in the deal. The Celtics have three tradable first-round picks, starting with the No. 27 pick this year, as well as first rounders in 2031 and 2033. Can Milwaukee get Payton Pritchard in the deal, too?
Giannis’ injury history, age, and contract are all factors in the deal. Antetokounmpo turns 32 years old in December. He’s only played in three playoff games since 2022 because of untimely injuries. He’s likely about to negotiate a max contract extension.
My read on this is that if the Bucks liked the Heat’s offer, they would have taken it already. Does this mean Giannis will be wearing Celtics green next season? Stay tuned. Read our latest 2026 NBA mock draft here for more on this incoming class of rookies.
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