As we approach the 2026 NBA Draft, there is a growing sense around the league that Giannis Antetokounmpo may not be with the Milwaukee Bucks anymore on draft night. Several reports have suggested that the Heat have, in principle, agreed on a trade framework, and the deal could be finalized within the next 48 hours.
However, several insiders have also suggested that the Bucks’ front office only considered the 2026 Draft night as a soft deadline for them to get the deal done.
According to the Bucks’ insider, Jim Owczarski, the decision depends on what the front office wants and is able to include in the deal before draft night. He appeared on SiriusXM’s radio show, NBA Insiders, and spoke about what to expect in Milwaukee.
“It was one of the co-owners of the team, Jimmy Haslam, and in his explanation of that, it was to get the most assets,” said Owczarski about the time when the Bucks’ front office declared their intentions to listen to offers for Antetokounmpo if he doesn’t agree to extend his contract.
“He didn’t say this directly, but the implication is another first-round pick in 2026. If that’s the desire, yeah, it has to happen or at least be agreed to by draft night. So that they can do the whole ‘wearing different hats with teams’ where the Bucks can make picks from other teams, and it’s formalized later.”
“Look, things are very quiet. It’s kind of how the Bucks operate. I don’t think when you’re discussing trading Giannis Antetokounmpo, one of the top 25 players in the history of the sport, I don’t think they’re going to breadcrumb this out publicly, which has caused frustrations among teams on the lack of clarity.”
“If they want a 2026 draft pick, it has to be agreed to by Tuesday night, but honestly, if they’re looking at what’s on the table and say, ‘you know what, these picks in ‘26 that we could get, nah. We’re gonna look to ‘27 or ‘28 in the future.’ If that’s the case, this could drag on. Which then brings the possibility that Giannis does not get traded at all.”
Even Ramona Shelbourne, ESPN’s senior NBA writer, also suggested that the 2026 NBA draft was a ‘soft deadline’ for the Bucks’ front office, who could drag this beyond the draft night to get the right value for trading away the face of their franchise. This is considered a three-team race at this point among the Heat, the Celtics, and the Timberwolves.
While Bobby Marks of ESPN identified three key assets that the Bucks’ front office is seeking, they might be creating problems for Antetokounmpo’s future, as they are seeking almost everything any team has to offer in the negotiations.
For example, the Heat had reportedly agreed on a trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, but is looking to involve multiple teams so that their roster is not fully gutted to land the Greek superstar. Owczarski also gave his insight into the negotiations.
“I don’t think it’s just Miami, it’s whatever team. It’s everything! You want this dude? You’re building your roster; it’s not our problem. That’s your problem. If I’m speaking as the Bucks, it’s ’you want this guy? So give us everything we want. Oh, that leaves us this? That’s not our problem. You figure that out,” said Owczarski as he revealed the Bucks’ cold demands.
“And so, all’s fair in love and trade of MVPs. This is a relatively unprecedented trade. You’ve got to go all the way back to Shaq, like this is not AD or Luka, this is an actual MVP who can be traded in his prime. Shaq is the last player to be traded and to finish in the top three of MVP voting in the year before and after his trade. Neither James Harden nor Russell Westbrook did it.”
Even NBA insider Jake L. Fischer previously alluded to the possibility that the Bucks are making ‘unrealistic’ demands from any front office that is inquiring about Giannis Antetokounmpo. Therefore, all signs indicate that this may not be over within the next 48 hours and could drag on beyond the night of the Draft.
Antetokounmpo is a two-time MVP, a ten-time All-Star, and a former NBA champion with the Finals MVP award in 2021. At age 31, the Greek superstar still has several years left in the prime of his career. A lot of the intricate details are yet to be decided, and this saga seems to be far from over.
One of the key points that Antetokounmpo is trying to leverage is that he wants to join a championship-contending team. Would paying such an exorbitant price be worth it to trade for him if the team no longer has the depth needed to contend?
And why should a team potentially gut their future without the confirmation that Giannis Antetokounmpo will sign a long-term extension so they can build around him? Let us know what you think in the comments section.
