![\"Giannis](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1780263020_773_nba-atlanta-hawks-at-milwaukee-bucks-1111713-edited-1024x683.jpg\")
The Miami Heat have been pursuing Giannis Antetokounmpo for over a half-decade. (Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images)<\/p>\nThe Miami Heat have been pursuing Giannis Antetokounmpo for over a half-decade. (Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images)<\/p>\n
Once again, the Miami Heat are expected to swing big for Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. All indications suggest <\/a>that his fate with Milwaukee, where he\u2019s called home for the last dozen-plus years, will be signed, sealed and delivered by the 2026 NBA Draft, which begins June 23. <\/p>\n Conceptually, the Heat aren\u2019t going to hold anything back \u2014 besides Bam Adebayo \u2014 in negotiations for Antetokounmpo. But are there any players that, in a perfect world, they should prioritize retaining in those discussions? Let\u2019s examine a few!<\/p>\n Skinny: Dating back to his days at Arizona, Larsson\u2019s a winning basketball player who\u2019s more of a glue guy than a premier option. He broke out in his second season with Miami, averaging 11.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists on 60.5 percent true shooting. He\u2019s not afraid to get in a player\u2019s jersey defensively \u2014 how often he got hit in the face became an internet trend <\/a>\u2014 and do the dirty work. <\/p>\n The Heat would also need quality depth on cost-controlled contracts. Larsson\u2019s fits that to a T. His skillset and contract make him exactly the complementary connector the Heat should try their best to retain in any negotiation.<\/p>\n Davion Mitchell:<\/p>\n Skinny: Like Larsson, Mitchell\u2019s contract is one of the most valuable on the Heat. There\u2019s a non-zero chance that his $12 million expiring could be sacrificed as an additional salary filler. <\/p>\n But it shouldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n While he would function best as a guard off the bench in a perfect world, he\u2019d have less of a creation burden with Antetokounmpo in the picture. Meaning, he could lean more into where he thrives best: Defensively. He\u2019s a bulldog at the point-of-attack and would be allowed to be more aggressive with a sturdier backline. <\/p>\n Furthermore, Mitchell\u2019s not a natural floor spacer, but he\u2019s shot 39.6 percent from deep on 3.0 triple tries per game the last two seasons. And his improved playmaking could help an Antetokounmpo-Adebayo-led frontcourt.<\/p>\n Kasparas Jakucionis:<\/p>\n Skinny: Jakucionis is a wild card in these discussions. But he\u2019s also a perfect archetype to have around Giannis. He\u2019s a playmaking point guard that\u2019s a good 3-point shooter \u2014 as evidenced by his 42.3 3-point percentage as a rookie \u2014 and defender with positional size. <\/p>\n The 19-year-old will need to continue to amass more strength and fine-tune his ballhandling, but Jakucionis\u2019 impact was far more apparent than his numbers may have suggested across 53 games. His skillset is quite intriguing, especially if he\u2019s able to fast-track those improvements.<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n To check out our other content, click\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Follow Hot Hot Hoops on Twitter\/X\u00a0here<\/a>!<\/p>\n Follow Hot Hot Hoops on Instagram\u00a0here<\/a>!<\/p>\n Check out Hot Hot Hoops on Facebook\u00a0here<\/a>!<\/p>\n Subscribe to our YouTube channel\u00a0here<\/a>!<\/p>\n \t\t\t