Hawks Plot Giannis Heist at 2026 NBA Deadline

Merlin sees Bleacher Report’s refreshed big board as the league slides toward the trade deadline. It lists three targets for every team, ranked by need and potential impact, and balances bold, ambitious options with realistic fits and cap math. The piece even admits that "the top spot will almost always be dedicated to the most ambitious possibility" and treats Giannis as essential because "Giannis Antetokounmpo is an obligatory inclusion because 1) he's Giannis Antetokounmpo." Merlin notes the story’s through lines are tax engineering, pick control and role player reclamation. Teams that can buy will chase stars while others hunt bargains and buy low talent. Expect deadline day to be a mix of headline grabs and quiet moves that reshape rosters more subtly than the highlight reels suggest.