Giannis Was Open to Three Teams Before the Heat Deal. Two of Them Might Surprise You.

The Miami Heat finally got their guy. After years of chasing stars and striking out more often than not, they pulled off a blockbuster trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Bucks got back a package centered on Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and a pile of picks. But here’s the thing — Miami wasn’t the only team Giannis would have signed with.

According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, the two-time MVP had a short list. Three teams, specifically. And two of them aren’t exactly glamour markets.

Haynes reported that the three teams Giannis was open to signing an extension with were the Heat, the Boston Celtics — that one checks out — and the Minnesota Timberwolves. Yes, Minnesota.

That’s a little weird if you think about it. The Timberwolves aren’t exactly a free agent destination. They’re cold, they’re in the West, and they’ve spent most of the last two decades being irrelevant. But they’ve got Anthony Edwards, they’ve got some young talent, and maybe Giannis saw something there. Or maybe he just liked the idea of playing with Edwards and Rudy Gobert. Who knows.

The Celtics make more sense. Boston is always in the mix, they’ve got a deep roster, and they’ve got a winning culture. Pairing Giannis with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown would have been terrifying for the rest of the East. But Miami got the deal done.

So what does this mean for the Heat? Well, they just landed a top-three player in the league. Jimmy Butler and Giannis on the same team? That’s a nightmare for everyone else. Miami also has a track record of getting the most out of players, and Spoelstra is one of the best coaches in the game. The Heat aren’t just contenders now. They’re the team everyone else is chasing.

As for the Bucks, they hit the reset button. They got Herro, who’s a legit scorer, and Jaquez, who showed flashes as a rookie. Plus a bunch of picks. It’s not a bad haul for a guy who was going to leave anyway, but it’s still a gut punch for Milwaukee fans. One championship and then boom, it’s over.

The Timberwolves and Celtics will move on. Boston still has a good team. Minnesota is still figuring things out. But for one moment, those three teams were the only places Giannis wanted to be. And Miami won the sweepstakes.