NBA insider reveals major hint on where Giannis Antetokounmpo is leaning toward in free agency
Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks' superstar, is reportedly considering exploring free agency options in states with no income tax, which include Florida, Texas, and Tennessee. Among the NBA teams in these states, the Memphis Grizzlies are ruled out due to lack of assets, while the Miami Heat, Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks, and Orlando Magic are potential contenders. The Magic and Mavericks are unlikely candidates as they either lack sufficient assets or are unwilling to part with them. The Rockets, Spurs, and Heat emerge as the strongest possibilities, with the Spurs having the best chance due to their young stars and multiple lottery picks, followed by the Rockets with promising players, and lastly the Heat. The Bucks face a critical decision to align with Giannis's preference and negotiate a trade to maximize their return on his potential departure.
Context:
Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks' superstar, is reportedly considering exploring free agency options in states with no income tax, which include Florida, Texas, and Tennessee. Among the NBA teams in these states, the Memphis Grizzlies are ruled out due to lack of assets, while the Miami Heat, Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks, and Orlando Magic are potential contenders. The Magic and Mavericks are unlikely candidates as they either lack sufficient assets or are unwilling to part with them. The Rockets, Spurs, and Heat emerge as the strongest possibilities, with the Spurs having the best chance due to their young stars and multiple lottery picks, followed by the Rockets with promising players, and lastly the Heat. The Bucks face a critical decision to align with Giannis's preference and negotiate a trade to maximize their return on his potential departure.
Dive Deeper:
Giannis Antetokounmpo has expressed interest in potentially leaving the Milwaukee Bucks and is intrigued by playing in a state with no income tax, which narrows down his options to teams in Florida, Texas, and Tennessee.
The Memphis Grizzlies are not viable contenders for acquiring Giannis due to insufficient assets, thereby focusing attention on the Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, and San Antonio Spurs.
The Orlando Magic and Dallas Mavericks are unlikely to pursue Giannis because they either lack the necessary assets or are hesitant to part with them, thus making them less viable options.
The San Antonio Spurs are considered the frontrunners in the potential acquisition of Giannis, as they possess multiple young talents and several lottery picks that could entice the Bucks.
The Houston Rockets have fewer draft picks but boast several NBA players with significant potential, maintaining their position as a strong contender for Giannis's services.
While the Miami Heat have fans considering them as a destination for Giannis, they face challenges in competing with the Spurs and Rockets due to lesser assets.
The Milwaukee Bucks must strategically choose a team that aligns with Giannis's interests while securing favorable trade terms to optimize their position in the event of his departure.
The Milwaukee Bucks are one of the teams to watch this offseason, as they decide what they will do with their superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. Antetokounmpo just declared he was open to exploring other teams, so the Bucks might want to get to work on finding a deal just in case.
According to NBA Insider Sam Amico, Antetokounmpo has narrowed it down for the Bucks; he’s intrigued by the idea of playing in a state with no income tax.
States with no income tax that have NBA teams include Florida, Texas, and Tennessee. The Memphis Grizzlies don’t have the assets to get Antetokounmpo, so that rules them out. That leaves the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic of Florida, and the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, and San Antonio Spurs of Texas.
The Magic and Mavericks should be ruled as well as they either don’t have the assets, or do but don’t want to give them up. This leaves the Rockets, Spurs, and Heat.
All three teams could afford Antetokounmpo, and he would turn all three into title contenders. The Rockets and Spurs already have trade propositions being made by analysts and fans, and the Heat have been considered by fans as well.
In order of who has the best chance of getting Antetokounmpo, it’s probably San Antonio, Houston, and then Miami. San Antonio has multiple young stars and multiple lottery picks for this year’s draft it could send to Milwaukee, which desperately needs them. Houston only has one pick this year in the lottery, but it has more current NBA players with tons of potential.
The Heat could throw their hat in, but it’s unlikely they can compete with the other two teams. So, the Bucks have choices to make; pick a team Antetokounmpo likes, and pick up the phone to make a deal.
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