The Philadelphia 76ers have no part in the landscape-altering Giannis Antetokounmpo trade sweepstakes, yet somehow, the odds are high they will end up being one of the biggest losers of the imepnding blockbuster deal surrounding the two-time league MVP. After all, it appears that the conclusion of this trade saga will cause a major dent in the franchise's plans moving forward.
As reported by ESPN's Shams Charania, the Giannis trade race is expected to be resolved before the 2026 NBA Draft begins on Tuesday. The key detail, however, is the fact that the bidding war is apparently down to just two teams –– the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat, both of which are some of, if not the biggest rivals of the 76ers.
The Celtics and the Heat have long been part of the superstar's rumored list of preferred landing spots, and the Bucks seem to be on the final stages of deciding which front office has put forth a more compelling trade offer. Boston and Miami are taking different approaches in enticing Milwaukee on a blockbuster trade, but at this point, those two teams are the only ones left in the running.
The 76ers will end up as the biggest losers of the Giannis trade sweepstakes
The 76ers only have an indirect interest in this trade mill, but it certainly is a strong and important one. After all, both the Celtics and the Heat are starting to see their respective title windows wane, but now, that will no longer hold water for one of them given that the Greek Freak is on his way to shift the paradigm.
Philly, as do the other teams in the Eastern Conference, was hoping for Giannis to end up getting shipped to a different ball club in the West. Instead, the franchise will have to deal with one of their archenemies getting a leg up on them and then some.
The outcome of this trade front will easily disrupt the current pecking order in the NBA. After all, despite a campaign riddled with injuries, Giannis still showed early in the season that he remains an MVP-caliber player who is elite on both ends.
Now, instead of just dealing with a flailing Bucks squad, the 76ers will face an even steeper climb in an Eastern Conference race bound to get even tougher moving forward. No matter which team claims the jackpot that is Giannis, Philly will stand to lose despite the fact they had no part therein.
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