NBA Rumors: Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Knicks, Heat, Ja Morant

Bucks

Teams are quietly preparing for the day Milwaukee signals it is ready to take calls on Giannis Antetokounmpo, even while the two-time MVP keeps telling reporters he wants to work things out with the Bucks.

Jake Fischer of The Stein Line writes that front offices are bracing for a rare type of chase, one where the superstar’s own preferences will likely shape the field more than the offers themselves.

Antetokounmpo just turned 31 and is having one of the most efficient seasons of his career, averaging nearly 29 points and shooting over 43 percent from three.

He becomes extension-eligible in 2026, a factor already influencing the way teams are lining up behind the scenes.

Early clubs to monitor include the Knicks and the Heat, both of whom have been positioning themselves for a serious run if Milwaukee ever opens the door.

Knicks

According to Fischer, several league executives believe the Knicks may sit at the top of Antetokounmpo’s preferred destinations if a trade scenario ever becomes real.

Fischer reports that New York was the “temptation” Giannis wrestled with over the summer and that the city’s playoff-night street scenes — chanting crowds, soccer-style energy — have stayed with him.

The Knicks remain mindful of the situation but are not operating as if anything is imminent. Antetokounmpo continues to tell the Bucks he wants to stay the course.

Still, if Milwaukee ever wavers, the belief around the league is that the Knicks won’t need to do much convincing.

Heat

The Heat have kept themselves in the Giannis conversation in their own way. Fischer reports that Antetokounmpo’s camp researched how playing in a no-income-tax state like Florida would shape his long-term earnings.

Miami’s roster decisions added more fuel, particularly when the Heat declined to include Kel’el Ware in Kevin Durant talks this summer and held onto their young pieces for what rival teams saw as a bigger target.

The Heat have also explored backcourt upgrades and have internally discussed Grizzlies guard Ja Morant while monitoring his calf injury.

Fischer notes that Miami has signaled some openness to moving Andrew Wiggins in the right deal, and the lack of a Tyler Herro extension has kept the rumor mill spinning.

Put it together and the Heat look like a team preparing for options — Morant if the window opens now, or Antetokounmpo if the Bucks eventually pivot.