Report: Heat, Raptors considered 'open secret' front-runners for Giannis

Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo may currently be going toe to toe with some future teammates.

Many within league circles believe the Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors are the front-runners to sign the Bucks forward when he hits free agency after the 2020-21 season, reports Yahoo Sports' Vincent Goodwill.

Miami and Toronto's status as favorites is even considered to be "an open secret" inside the NBA's campus in Orlando, a source told Goodwill.

The Bucks are currently down 2-0 in their series against the Heat, who held Antetokounmpo to just 18 points on 6-of-12 shooting in Game 1. The 25-year-old had scored 18 points or fewer in just eight regular-season contests this year.

Following the Bucks' six-game collapse against the Raptors in the 2019 conference finals, it was reported that a 2020 Finals run could help convince the Greek star to re-commit to Milwaukee long term. A second-round elimination to the fifth-seeded Heat, though, would fall well short of early-season expectations.

Antetokounmpo apparently told a Harvard professor in the spring of 2019 that "deciding whether to sign (with Milwaukee) becomes a lot more difficult" if the team underperforms. However, Antetokounmpo quickly refuted that story, insisting he had been misquoted.

A May report suggested the Golden State Warriors have expressed interest in tabling an offer should Milwaukee look to trade the reigning MVP during the coming offseason.