The 2025-26 NBA Season hasn’t officially ended. But the New York Knicks are one win away from clinching their first title in over a half-century, and we are officially 10 days away from the 2026 NBA Draft.
The latter is also the self-imposed deadline that Milwaukee Bucks owner Jimmy Haslam set for the team to decide Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future. Those talks continue to intensify with the Miami Heat being viewed as the frontrunners. As Frank Sinatra once said, “The end is near,” although recent reporting suggests the Bucks are waiting until the end of the 2026 NBA Finals to make a decision.
The Heat aren’t going to hold back any asset (not named Bam Adebayo) for the two-time MVP — nor should they. But a cumulation of the likely departing names — spearheaded by Tyler Herro and Kel’el Ware — could leave them with little flexibility and depth to build from after.
And one name, in particular, could be the difference maker.
Why Kasparas Jakucionis is important to Giannis sweepstakes:
On the surface, trading Kasparas Jakucionis for a perennial MVP candidate is ridiculously easy. He only played in 53 games as a rookie and still looked quite raw offensively, especially as a ballhandler and decision-maker. In a vacuum, it’s an easy yes for the Heat.
But it’s also not that simple.
Jakucionis, 20, averaged 6.2 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists on 42.3 percent shooting from 3-point range in his rookie season. Outside of Ware, whose inconsistent motor remains a big concern, you could argue that Jakucionis has the highest — or, at the very least, one of the highest — upsides on the team.
He would also provide multiple valuable skills the Heat would be bereft of in many post-Antetokounmpo scenarios: 3-point shooting, point-of-attack defense and passing. Jakucionis would immediately be one of the Heat’s most valuable contracts because of his cost ($3.8 million), and wouldn’t need to be paid for another two seasons, unlike Jaime Jaquez Jr. or Pelle Larsson.
And for all those reasons, he should be a non-negotiable in Jon Horst’s eyes. In fact, while he may not be the headliner, Jakucionis would instantly be one of the Bucks’ best defenders, passers and 3-point shooters.
The second-year guard also has plenty of untapped potential as a playmaker, play finisher and overall defender. And Jakucionis also offers enough positional size and scalability to be malleable, no matter the context.
There is no question that you choose Antetokounmpo over a collection of Ware, Herro, Jaquez, Larsson and Jakucionis, among others. There’s no reason for the Heat to haggle. But unless Giannis puts his fingerprints on his next destination, Jakucionis’ inclusion in the deal could be the difference in whether the Heat acquire Antetokounmpo or not, given his upside, skill set and contract.
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id play ko ova kornett
the spurs are a prime example while tyler and dunc can never be on a champ team.
harpers a beast hes gonna be a problem
jjj or k johnson .like our guy
u dont win rings cause of pelle jjj jacos not needle movers helpers maybe.i can get help like that fairly easily.guys like greek generational players with some shelf life u dont hesitate to give them any 2 they want plus tyler and unfort ware.u jump all over that ill play gardner kj very easily quenten grimes very easily to replace above players.get fn greek or possibly kawhi .if one of those two aint on team i aint gonna be happy
The Art Of The Deal 101.