The Miami Heat reportedly want to avoid taking on long-term money to maintain flexibility for a future offseason in which several superstars could become available, but not everyone around the NBA believes that it will work out.
Earlier this month, the Heat were rumored to be interested in star guard Ja Morant, who has multiple years left on his contract. However, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst later described Miami’s interest in the Memphis Grizzlies star as “overstated.”
“The Miami Heat, in particular, have been overstated as a potential destination, sources said,” Bontemps and Windhorst wrote. “The Heat have been laser focused on avoiding taking on money for the 2027-28 offseason — a season when, as of right now, [Giannis] Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic and Donovan Mitchell, among others, could all be unrestricted free agents.
“It’s highly unlikely the Heat would deviate from that plan to go after Morant, sources said.”
While the Heat may end up making a push for an All-NBA talent like Jokic, Mitchell or Antetokounmpo, there’s no guarantee that the team will be able to lure one of the players to South Beach in free agency — or that any of those players will even make it to the open market.
Antetokounmpo may be the most reasonable target for the Heat, as he has been the subject of trade rumors recently with the Milwaukee Bucks are struggling in the 2025-26 season. Still, banking on a chance to sign a player like him down the line is a strategy that has its flaws, which a GM noted without directly saying the Heat’s name.
“Now, Antetokounmpo said he would not ask for the Bucks to trade him,” wrote Sean Deveney of Heavy Sports. “But he did not say he won’t leave in free agency, which can come in 2027 if he opts out of the final year of his contract. Rather than piling on the NBA trade rumors, teams (the Miami Heat, reportedly) are apparently hoping to hold open space for an Antetokounmpo pursuit in two summers. That’s not exactly wise.
“‘The days of a free-agent bonanza, clearing off the books, LeBron James in 2010 and all of that, that’s over,’ the GM said. ‘Good luck to you if that’s the plan, but saving cap space to sign someone? That just doesn’t work the same way anymore.'”
The Heat can obviously pivot from their plan at any time, especially since there’s a chance they could land Antetokounmpo in a trade prior to that. The Bucks may try to hold on to the star forward, but they risk losing him for nothing if he decides to test free agency.
If the two-time league MVP doesn’t commit to Milwaukee for the long haul with a contract extension, the franchise may not have any choice but to trade him in order to recoup some value.
The Heat have landed big-name free agents before, and there’s no doubt that Pat Riley and the Heat organization can create a compelling pitch for a top talent to play in South Beach, but free agency isn’t what it used to be in the NBA in terms of players reaching the open market.
For now, it appears the Heat will focus on winning with their current core until they are able to land the big fish that they desire.