Heat emerges as top Giannis Antetokounmpo trade suitor, but 1 dark horse looms large

Jeff Smith, For The Win Tue, June 2, 2026 at 1:55 PM UTC

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Heat emerges as top Giannis Antetokounmpo trade suitor, but 1 dark horse looms large

The Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes are picking up steam, and one team has separated itself from the pack, but The Greek Freak's future team remains very much up in the air. Recent reports have cited the Miami Heat as a top likely destination for Antetokounmpo, but as NBA insider Marc Stein recently reported, the Portland Trail Blazers find themselves squarely in the mix for the 31-year-old 10-time All-Star.

Fortunately, it appears that a deal may be coming sooner rather than later, with Stein projecting things to be resolved "over the next few weeks" in line with the 2026 NBA Draft.

“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 in conjunction with NBA Draft proceedings," Stein reported.

The Heat are front-running in Giannis trade rumors, but the Blazers could have a real shot

While there's no shortage of buzz surrounding potential trade packages and reported interest from both the Heat and Antetokounmpo, another tidbit highlights that the Blazers are an option Antetokounmpo would seriously consider.

During a recent conversation on Deals and Dunks, insider Chris B. Haynes gave Blazers fans plenty of reason for optimism.

“I do believe if Portland were to come with something really serious, I do believe Giannis would at least consider it," Haynes said. "Like, it wouldn't be a situation where he would just; 'Nah', you know, throw it in the trash. I think this would be a situation he would consider.”

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Haynes also said that Portland has "serious interest" in Giannis and the idea of pairing him back up with Damian Lillard.

The big question comes down to whether Miami or Portland can put together a better trade package, although the inclusion of a third team seems extremely likely in either scenario.

What about a potential Boston Celtics trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo?

Although the Heat and Blazers are the two popular talking points regarding a potential Giannis trade, the Boston Celtics have come up in recent conversations. However, there isn't much that signals the Celtics are emerging as a legitimate player in the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes.

On a recent episode of The Bill Simmons podcast, NBA insider Zach Lowe joined Simmons, and the duo discussed the possibility of the Celtics emerging as Antetokounmpo's next team. Neither one seemed all that optimistic, with Simmons openly stating, "I don't think Boston's in on Giannis." Lowe echoed a similar sentiment.

“I've certainly not sensed any great urgency from [the Celtics] to break up their team," Lowe said.

It's a fair and understandable take from Lowe and Simmons, as the Celtics will enter the 2026-27 season as a favorite in the Eastern Conference behind Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. Boston seems far from interested in breaking up its core, and considering they're just two years removed from winning an NBA title, there's no reason to doubt that mindset changes in the coming weeks.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Heat emerges as top Giannis Antetokounmpo suitor with 1 dark horse looming

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Source: “AOL Sports”