Giannis Antetokounmpo reportedly wants to stay in the Eastern Conference if he's ever traded, which means all eyes have been on the likes of the Miami Heat to make the strongest pitch for the Greek Freak this coming offseason. But there's one thing incentivizing Jon Horst and company to consider Western Conference teams like Portland and maybe New Orleans: they have control of Milwaukee's picks.
Giannis suitors out East don't have control of Milwaukee's own picks
NBA insider Marc Stein via The Stein Line in a recent Substack post (subscription required) reported that the Portland Trail Blazers and the Miami Heat are indeed in positioning themselves as primary frontrunners in the pursuit for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Stein reports that “more and more, with sources saying Miami and Portland are already in pursuit, Antetokounmpo’s future is increasingly expected to be resolved over the next few weeks."
And while Miami certainly has the assets and the geography to make an attractive pitch, it's the kind of assets that Portland has that can make all the difference.
To recall, Portland controls all of Milwaukee's first-round draft capital from 2028 through to 2030 after acquiring the picks by way of the Damian Lillard trade. Those picks were all the Bucks had left to offer at the time, and they're exactly what's stopping them from entering a true rebuild right now.
Multiple sources have said that the reported Miami Heat trade package for Giannis Antetokounmpo centers around Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr. (or Nikola Jovic), and multiple first-round picks and draft swaps. And while those are all fine pieces, the first-round draft capital in question includes picks in 2031 and 2033 including the No. 13 pick in this upcoming draft. That means Milwaukee would still have to wait for quite some time before such a trade can actually help them rebuild after losing the Greek Freak.
While the Miami package is certainly up there, a possible trade framework with Portland is equally attractive. Reports have named assets like Shaedon Sharpe, Milwaukee's draft assets controlled by Portland, Jerami Grant to help match salaries, and Scoot Henderson or Orlando's unprotected 2028 first-round pick. At the end of the day, that's a real offer that any front office would be wise to consider.
Portland's reported package would help the Bucks rebuild going forward
The Heat can offer a compelling package of players and picks, but they are offering Miami assets. Portland, conversely, offers Milwaukee a path to total structural control. It’s a level of security and leverage that is essentially impossible to replicate through standard trade packages. It also stops the Bucks from having to battle with Giannis in the East once they return to contention.
If the Bucks are truly going to rebuild for a post-Antetokounmpo future, they need their control over their picks in order for the forthcoming losing years to count for something.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.
Add us as a preferred source on Google