The rumors surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo show no signs of slowing down. Some see the Bucks re-signing his brother Thanasis as a signal that Giannis will remain in Milwaukee. Yet with the option to hit free agency in 2027 at just 32 years old, teams across the league can’t stop imagining what it would be like to add the Greek Freak to their roster.
Rumors link Giannis to the Miami Heat, a team searching for a go-to star after Jimmy Butler’s exit. Still, former Heat guard Mario Chalmers dismissed the notion of Giannis joining the South Beach squad.
“I don’t know, I just don’t see Giannis fitting, I don’t want to say ‘Heat Culture,’ but just the Heat team,” Mario Chalmers remarked in a conversation with Scoop B Robinson. “You have to put a lot of shooters around him on that team, which I think is doable, but I just don’t see him going.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo doesn’t fit Miami Heat because you have to “put a lot of shooters around him” says Mario Chalmers.@mchalmers15 says Giannis would fit better with the Toronto Raptors:
“They got a bunch of young hungry guys that like to run…..that’s Giannis’ game.” https://t.co/R5k4Pyu5m4 pic.twitter.com/UQJcLZ1XUU
— 👑 Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson (@ScoopB) September 15, 2025
Chalmers believes the Toronto Raptors would suit Antetokounmpo far better if he decides to leave Milwaukee. He said the Raptors are a faster, up-and-down team filled with young, hungry players who thrive in transition, which fits Giannis’ style perfectly.
“(They’re) more active, more of an up-and-down team. They got a bunch of young hungry guys that like to run and get up and down and that’s Giannis’ game,” the former Heat guard continued.
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s fit with the Raptors
Last season, the Heat ranked 12th in the league in total 3-pointers and 11th in shooting percentage from deep. Losing their second-best shooter, Duncan Robinson, could further weaken that area. Antetokounmpo thrives when teammates stretch the floor and open lanes for him, which is the exact issue Chalmers pointed out.
Beyond the shortage of perimeter shooters, the bigger concern for Giannis in Miami might be the team’s pace. The Bucks consistently pushed the tempo, ranking in the top half last season and finishing in the Top 10 in each of the previous five years, including second in 2021 when they captured the NBA championship.
The 2024-25 Toronto Raptors ended the season 30-52, placing 11th in the Eastern Conference. They ranked 23rd in scoring and 18th in defense, so adding Giannis would immediately boost both areas. With an 11th-place ranking in pace, the Raptors play the up-tempo style that Chalmers says suits Giannis perfectly.
With an average age of 25.3 at the start of last season, the Raptors boast a youthful, high-energy roster that pushes the pace. They ranked fourth in the league in fastbreak points, creating the kind of up-tempo style where Giannis can dominate.
Even though the 2017-18 Raptors were stronger than the present roster, they added Kawhi Leonard the next season and saw him carry the team to an NBA title. Bringing Giannis to Toronto wouldn’t guarantee the same outcome, but it proves a major turnaround is possible.
