Even before the 2026 NBA Finals ended last weekend, the biggest story circulating in the league is where Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo ends up.
The two-time MVP is widely expected to part ways with the only franchise he’s called home this summer. Technically, Antetokounmpo could start the season in Milwaukee with one more year left on his contract. But that ship has all but sailed, with a resolution expected ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft, which is six days away.
As we’ve covered ad nauseam, the Miami Heat are viewed as frontrunners for the 10-time All-Star. But the deal is far from complete, with the biggest drawback being the Heat’s suboptimal offer. The Heat will need to find a third team willing to deploy assets to appease the Bucks for Milwaukee native Tyler Herro.
According to NBA insider Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, one of the teams that may be willing to facilitate that is the Detroit Pistons.
“If the Bucks do want to turn that framework into a potential three-team deal, the Pistons are a team that has shown interest in Tyler Herro in the past and does maintain interest in Tyler Herro,” Fischer said on a recent Bleacher Report stream.
What would Pistons have to give up for Tyler Herro?
As we previously outlined, the Pistons wouldn’t be a poor fit for Herro on the court. He would be flanked by very good defenders in Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren (should he return). And the postseason exacerbated the Pistons’ desperate need for a second shot creator alongside Cade Cunningham. Herro fits that bill.
Since, in this hypothetical, the Pistons would still be below the first apron (excluding cap holds from Duren, Tobias Harris, etc.), here’s a salary matching refresher:
- If outgoing salary is $7,500,000 or less, teams can absorb up to 200 percent (plus $250K).
- If outgoing salary is between $7,500,001 and $29MM, then they can absorb that amount plus $7.5MM.
- If outgoing salary exceeds $29MM, then they can take back 125 percent (plus $250K) of that figure.
Thus, the Pistons would have to send out $25.5 million to absorb Herro’s $33 million expiring. One way they could use Caris LeVert’s $14.8 million and Isaiah Stewart’s $15 million. They could also combine LeVert and Ron Holland ($9.1M) plus either Daniss Jenkins ($4M; team option), Marcus Sasser ($5.2M) or Paul Reid ($5.6).
There are a few different ways. And the Pistons control each of their seven first-round picks from 2027-33. But would that be too much for a player whose value appears to be beneath the Earth’s crust in Herro.
If those pieces don’t appease Milwaukee, who are seeking additional first-round draft capital for next week’s draft, would they be willing to get a third team involved to send assets for any of those aforementioned names? And would any of those players (LeVert, Stewart, etc.) be worth a first-round pick?
Those are all conversations that all sides must be having. That doesn’t even include the fact that Detroit would have to be more incentivized to pay Herro, potentially clogging their future books (which are fairly clean) if they decide to pay Ausar Thompson, Duren and/or Tobias Harris, an unrestricted free agent this summer.
The more teams involved, mean there will be more moving parts. If one thing is certain: The clock is ticking for Milwaukee, regardless of who they decide to send Antetokounmpo to. The trade is almost certainly going to include a multitude of teams, but in order for the Heat to complete this trade, they will need to find a third team willing to add Tyler Herro.
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Herro in Detroit would be great.
It would be great for Herro and I think he would help Detroit. But, Detroit may be in a position to drive a hard bargain for Ty as I’m not sure how much interest there is elsewhere. We may not get much back and we may have to add some sweetening. And, because of the uneven contracts, seems like a third team is needed. So, it may again be difficult to move Ty, even with his skills.
I’ll take whatever I can get at this point if it helps get giannis or I’ll take any 2 or 3 of beef stew, bball Paul, holland,Jenkins, and even Sasser with at least one 1st round pick attached.
It’s Detroit that needs firepower. When healthy, Herro has proven he is fully capable of providing that, so I wouldn’t attach anything. They can work it out just using contracts and moves as you have suggested.
The proposal I saw does not require us to sweeten the deal. In fact, it has suggested that Detroit would provide draft capital. I am pretty certain that they would not give us Holland as SM would prefer. If the deal was not part of a Giannis deal, but just one to improve the team as one part of an overhaul, I think it works. The salaries fit with Stewart and LeVert. To me, Stewart is the type of player we could use – only 25, 6’8” 250, a stout defender. LeVert is a decent veteran who I believe is a good defender at 6’7” with good wingspan, basically a 9 or 10 guy off the bench.