Giannis Antetokounmpo left Milwaukee chasing a better shot at a title, but the latest twist in the NBA landscape makes that decision look a lot less clean than it once did.
If LeBron James had ended up in Miami, the case for Giannis bolting the Bucks would have felt stronger. A player like LeBron was never going to Milwaukee, so the logic was simple: a bigger market might give the Greek Freak a better path to a loaded roster. Instead, James is heading to Philadelphia, and that version of the dream is gone.
That matters because Miami’s current group looks more solid than scary. Bam Adebayo is the obvious centerpiece, but the rest of the roster comes with plenty of questions.
Andrew Wiggins is useful, though he’s on the downswing. Davion Mitchell brings defensive value, but his offense could make the fit awkward.
Bobby Portis can score, yet his defensive issues are well known. Tim Hardaway Jr. can still fill it up from deep, but he’s getting older.
On paper, that’s not exactly a group that screams championship run.
LeBron, even at 41, would have changed the equation. With the 76ers landing the four-time MVP, Miami’s next options feel much less enticing. Names like DeMar DeRozan, Russell Westbrook, and Bradley Beal could still be in the mix, but at this stage of their careers, the idea of those players may be better than the reality.
That leaves a fair question hanging over the Heat: can this roster actually get to a title?
Milwaukee, meanwhile, may not have been as far off from building something dangerous around Giannis as it seemed. The Bucks already addressed one of their biggest issues from last season by moving on from Doc Rivers and bringing in Taylor Jenkins as their next coach. They also had three tradeable first-round picks and plenty of salary to work with, which would have given them room to make a real move or two after a rough three-year stretch.
The exact targets are speculative, but there were names in the mix. Trey Murphy III is said to be available.
LaMelo Ball has already been moved, and the Bucks have never been shy about star point guards. Jaylen Brown could have been another call if Boston was willing to listen.
With Jon Horst running the show, Milwaukee would have been aggressive.
And that’s before even getting to Brayden Burries. The Bucks had the 10th pick in the draft no matter what happened with Giannis, and Burries gives them another piece to dream on. If he carries his Summer League form into the regular season, that could be another thing for Giannis to think about.
Maybe Miami still surprises people and makes a real championship push. Stranger things have happened. But without LeBron James, the path is a lot steeper.
In Other News...
Tyler Herro's Bucks Future Suddenly Feels Bigger Than Ever
Tyler Herros arrival in Milwaukee has already turned into more than a short-term roster move. The Bucks are interested in talking about a contract extension, and Herro has made it clear he wants to stay, which gives the situation a different feel than the usual post-trade wait-and-see period. For a team trying to map out its next phase, keeping a player with Herros profile around long term would be a meaningful step.
The conversation now comes down to the kind of number both sides can live with. Milwaukee sees Herro as a potential key piece moving forward, but any extension will hinge on whether the Bucks are comfortable with the price and whether the deal makes sense for everyone involved. Until that gets sorted out, Herros future remains one of the more important decisions hanging over the team. [Read more 🡒]
Bucks Already Face One Huge Decision On Their New Core
The Bucks rebuild has already pushed them into an early test of how they want this new era to look, with Tyler Herro and Jaime Jaquez Jr. landing in Milwaukee as part of the trade that sent Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to Miami. Along with Kel'el Ware and Kasparas Jakuionis, they now form the first wave of the reworked roster, and the front office has made clear it would like to start shaping the long-term picture sooner rather than later.
Herro and Jaquez Jr. are the two names most tied to that next step, and both have already been asked about what comes next in Milwaukee. Jaquez Jr. has taken a measured approach as he settles in, while the Bucks are weighing how quickly they want to move on extensions before uncertainty starts hanging over the season. [Read more 🡒]