Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat.
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Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat.
The Miami Heat received a significant boost in their pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo, as one of their primary rivals in the bidding process appears unwilling to push all its chips to the center of the table.
According to ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst, the New York Knicks are not showing the level of aggression required to land the two-time NBA MVP, a development that reshapes the trade landscape ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline and narrows Miami’s competition largely to the Golden State Warriors.
“The Knicks believe in this team, and that could end up being an excellent assessment or that could end up being a mistake,” Windhorst said Monday on ESPN’s Get Up. “But they believed in this team last summer when Giannis was sort of loosely available. They didn’t make an aggressive offer at that time to move those talks forward.”
Knicks’ Trade Restraint Alters Giannis Market
Windhorst said little has changed since last summer, when New York opted against escalating talks despite Antetokounmpo’s name surfacing in league discussions.
“If they want to win a bidding war for Giannis now, I think it would take a three- or four-team trade,” Windhorst said. “That is just not happening. They are not showing that aggression to get Giannis right now.”
League executives widely believe any Antetokounmpo deal for New York would require a complex, multi-team framework capable of delivering both immediate talent and long-term draft capital to Milwaukee. The Knicks’ asset limitations make such a deal difficult to execute.
New York controls only one tradable first-round pick — a top-eight-protected 2026 selection from Washington that is projected to convert into second-round picks. To assemble a competitive offer, the Knicks would likely need to reroute key starters to additional teams to generate the blue-chip prospects and draft equity the Bucks are expected to demand.
“And I think that’s because they like this team,” Windhorst said. “They don’t think the Eastern Conference is a giant mountain to climb.”
Heat See Opportunity Where Knicks Show Comfort
While the Knicks sit comfortably among the East’s top tier without Antetokounmpo, Miami’s urgency is far greater.
The Heat have hovered around the play-in line in recent seasons and view a Giannis acquisition as a potential franchise-altering move. Internally, league sources believe Miami sees Antetokounmpo as the missing piece capable of restoring championship contention alongside Bam Adebayo.
A core built around Antetokounmpo, Adebayo and first-time All-Star Norman Powell would immediately elevate Miami’s ceiling in the Eastern Conference.
Heat Willing to Put Young Core on the Table
Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Heat
GettyTyler Herro of the Miami Heat talks to Kel’el Ware against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Miami has positioned itself to make a serious offer.
The Heat can trade up to two future first-round picks and multiple swaps, while also offering a package of young players headlined by Tyler Herro and promising rookie big man Kel’el Ware.
According to Miami Herald reporter Barry Jackson, both players are available in trade talks.
“The Heat’s offer, according to a source, is widely expected to include Ware, Tyler Herro, Terry Rozier’s expiring contract, and another young player or more, as well as first-round picks in 2030 and 2032 and possibly first-round pick swaps in 2026, 2029 and 2031,” Jackson reported Monday.
That willingness to sacrifice rotation players and future flexibility underscores Miami’s urgency — a stark contrast to New York’s patience.
Warriors Remain Heat’s Biggest Obstacle
Despite the Knicks’ reluctance, Miami still faces formidable competition from Golden State.
The Warriors can offer up to four first-round picks, including three projected to fall in the post-Stephen Curry era — a timeline rival executives consistently view as premium draft capital.
Golden State also possesses multiple workable salary structures. The Warriors can build a deal around former Heat star Jimmy Butler alone or include Draymond Green and younger rotation players, depending on Milwaukee’s preference for cap relief versus long-term assets.
They also hold a high-upside young piece in Jonathan Kuminga, the former No. 7 overall pick who has already drawn interest from the Bucks in prior offseason discussions.
Miami’s Window May Demand Aggression
For the Heat, the calculus is simple.
Unlike the Knicks, who believe time is on their side, Miami’s championship window is far less forgiving. With Adebayo in his prime and the franchise searching for another transcendent star, Antetokounmpo represents a rare opportunity to leapfrog the Eastern Conference hierarchy.
Whether Miami’s offer can outmatch Golden State’s remains uncertain. But as one rival backs away, the Heat’s path to Giannis has undeniably become clearer — and the pressure to strike has only intensified.