On Thursday, NBA insider Jake Fischer said that the Warriors believe they're still a destination for stars, and that Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić was on their radar. A few hours later, Golden State beat Miami for its sixth straight win, and Giannis Antetokounmpo skipped postgame media availability, raising even more questions about his frustrations with his new team.
Keep in mind that Antetokounmpo had been at the top of the Warriors' dream list, and before the February deadline, they tried to trade for him. However, reports said he wasn't interested in signing an extension with Golden State. Rather than push for him again over the summer, the team pulled back, and the Bucks traded him to the Heat.
Well, here we are, just a few weeks into the season. Miami is 3-6, with a 19th-ranked offense and a 26th-ranked defense (and that's supposed to be its specialty). Antetokounmpo has a $62.8 million player option for 2027-28 that he could decline, becoming an unrestricted free agent if he declines to sign an extension with the Heat.
In other words, if Miami can't get it together, Antetokounmpo's future will once again dominate the conversation, and that, in turn, will draw attention away from Jokić and Denver.
Antetokounmpo's future should be the talking point over Jokic's
Antetokounmpo hasn't said anything about wanting to leave Miami, but he left Milwaukee to pursue another championship. It can't be reassuring for Heat fans to know that the superstar opted not to speak with the media after the loss, which is rare for him. That doesn't equate to a trade request, but it's not the kind of thing you want to see less than a month into the season, either.
On the flip side, Jokić has said several times that he wants to stay with the Nuggets. He didn't sign an extension the past two offseasons, but he'll be eligible to sign a five-year, $350 million deal next summer. The long-term security and finances that come with that contract should make it simple to understand why he's holding off.
Even though what Jokić has repeatedly said matters, questions about his future will arise until the Nuggets lock him down. We've already seen it this season, after he expressed his displeasure with fans booing Denver before it beat New Orleans in its home opener. Anything perceived as negative will turn into a story about whether he actually wants to be in Colorado (and for what it's worth, he has since said he loves the fans!).
The same thing is happening with Antetokounmpo in Miami right now: his future is still up in the air, but unlike Jokić, he hasn't said he will extend with the Heat. He could sign a deal right now, but if he waits until early January, six months after he was traded, he'll be eligible to sign a four-year, $276 million deal versus a three-year, $194 million deal.
Like with Jokić, it makes sense for Antetokounmpo to hold out for an extra year and more money, but if he doesn't feel like he can win with the Heat, will that make him think twice about whether Miami is where he wants to be?
Only he can answer that question, but right now it doesn't look good. That doesn't mean Antetokounmpo is already on the way out of Miami, but there is a higher chance of that happening than Jokić leaving Denver.
Add us as a preferred source on Google