Pat Riley acknowledged that the Heat gave up a massive haul just to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, but the Miami president believes that the difficult trade will be worth it in the long run.
Pat Riley understands that he and the Miami Heat paid a staggering price just to get Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks. Yet, the franchise president still stands convinced that the gamble is worth it for the two-time MVP.
Jaime Jaquez Jr.
Position SG, SF
Age 25
Height 198 cm
Weight 102 kg
Birth place California, United States of America
Riley opened up about the hard decision he had to make that allowed Miami to land one of the greatest players of all time.
“As far as what we gave up, we gave up a significant price. But he’s worth it. Period," Riley told reporters after Antetokounmpo's introductory press conference as the newest member of the Heat on Thursday. "That’s how I look at it. Those are three very good young players. One has a lot of experience but other three are very good young players with huge upside.
"We don’t have to figure out what these players' upside is. They may not even have maxed out yet. But yeah, it wasn't an easy decision. It was not an easy decision.”
Heat sends massive package to complete Giannis blockbuster deal
The Milwaukee Bucks traded Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to the Miami Heat in exchange for a massive haul featuring Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel'el Ware, Kasparas Jakucionis, the No. 13 overall pick (Nate Ament) in the 2026 NBA Draft, unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, a 2030 pick swap, and a 2033 second-round pick.
Herro has established himself as an All-Star guard and one of the NBA's premier microwave scorers, while Jaquez Jr. is coming off a breakout campaign that saw him finish as a finalist for the Sixth Man of the Year award.
Meanwhile, Ware possesses tremendous upside as an elite 7-foot big man, and Jakucionis has quickly emerged as one of the Heat's most promising young talents, with the franchise reportedly reluctant to include him in trade discussions.
Only time will tell if Pat Riley and the Heat made the right choice to surrender a boatload of assets and promising players for Giannis. But right now, they could not care less as they aim for the present and maximize their title window behind the lead of the Greek superstar.
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