“They got a bunch of young hungry guys” – 2x NBA champ shoots down Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Heat fit while naming ideal team for Bucks star

This past offseason, Giannis Antetokounmpo was the subject of trade speculations as fans waited for him to commit to the Milwaukee Bucks or perhaps go elsewhere. Reports have since indicated that Antetokounmpo will be staying with the Bucks longer, but this hasn’t stopped the hoops community from buzzing about potential landing spots for the Greek Freak.

For one, former Miami Heat guard Mario Chalmers has weighed in on Antetokounmpo’s fit with other Eastern Conference teams. In an interview with TV personality Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, Chalmers stated that the two-time NBA MVP would not mesh well with the current iteration of the Heat.

“I just don’t see Giannis fitting with, I don’t want to say Heat culture but just the Heat team,” Chalmers told Robinson. “You have to put a lot of shooters around him on that team. Which is doable, but I just don’t see him going.”

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Chalmers, who won two NBA titles with the Heat over the course of his nine-year career, went on to say that the Toronto Raptors would be a better match for Antetokounmpo's style.

"More active, more up-and-down team, and they got a bunch of young, hungry guys that can run...that's Giannis' game," Chalmers said.

The numbers show that Chalmers is spot on with his assessment of Toronto and Miami in terms of tempo. Last season, Toronto was ninth in pace while the Heat were 27th in this category.

For now, though, Antetokounmpo appears to be content with staying in Milwaukee, particulary after his brother Thanasis was once again signed by the Bucks.

"When you win the medal, 12 to 13 million people are happy": Giannis Antetokounmpo offers perspective on career accomplishments

Aside from all the trade chatter, Antetokounmpo made headlines in the offseason for his performance in EuroBasket 2025. After leading Greece to a bronze medal finish, Antetokounmpo reflected on the joys of securing a podium finish for his national team and winning the MVP award in the NBA.

“When you win the MVP, my mom is happy, my brother is happy, my agent might be happy. It is what it is," he said. "But when you win the medal, 12 to 13 million people are happy. I’ve never given that feeling before.”

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@LegionHoops

Giannis Antetokounmpo after winning bronze with Greece: “When you win the MVP, my mom is happy, my brother is happy, my agent might be happy. It is what it is. But when you win the medal, 12–13 million people are happy. I’ve never given that feeling before.” (h/t @hoopshype)

With EuroBasket 2025 now in the history books, Antetokounmpo will now set his sights on making another push for the Larry O'Brien trophy in the upcoming NBA season.

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About the author

Simoun Victor Redoblado

Simoun Victor Redoblado is an NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda with over 12 years of experience writing for publications such as Collider, ALL-STAR Magazine, and Sir Charles in Charge.

Simoun has a bachelor's degree in Secondary Education, Major in English and Minor in journalism. Thanks to the journalism courses that he took, Simoun understood the fundamentals of journalistic storytelling in the context of sports writing.

Passionate for the UP Fighting Maroons, Simoun is a fan of the NBA, PBA, UAAP, and FIBA.
His childhood team was the Chicago Bulls and Simoun was a longtime supporter of the Houston Rockets because his friends would say he looked like Yao Ming.

Simoun loves the systematic, tactical movement of the ball and the players, the stories behind each individual competing on the hardcourt and most of all, how basketball is a sport for life and all its struggles and lessons.

A father of two, Simoun spends his free time with his kids.

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