Raptors, Heat Front Runners For Giannis?

Are the Milwaukee Bucks in trouble? The Miami Heat currently lead the Bucks 2-0 in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. Losing the playoff series has additional consequences when it comes to Milwaukee. Would Giannis Antetokounmpo leave the Bucks next offseason if they fail to reach the Finals?

Giannis seems like a loyal guy, and nobody truly knows what he’s thinking. However, rumors have started to come to light. If the Greek Freak were to leave, two teams could be in the running for his services.

“It’s no wonder many in league circles believe Miami and Toronto are the frontrunners in the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes, with one observer telling Yahoo Sports “it’s an open secret” within the Orlando bubble.”

Miami looks like the perfect mistress with their culture, the ability to morph into different identities at a moment’s notice but yet still feel like a team playing within itself.

There have been stories in the past that Raptors GM Masai Ujiri was infatuated with Giannis prior to the 2013 NBA Draft. Ujiri tried to pick him but Toronto didn’t have a first-round pick that year. The Raptors feel like a sneaky pick that you otherwise wouldn’t think of.

The Miami Heat have built up some equity. Jimmy Butler has turned Miami into serious winners and has a stable group of young guns like Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro, Kendrick Nunn, and Bam Adebayo. The young pieces they have are an attractive starting point for another star to walk right in.

There’s no point in guessing. Giannis is still under team control next season. He can also sign with Milwaukee for significantly more money than anybody else. Furthermore, Giannis doesn’t feel like the kind of guy to ever request a trade.