The proposed trade would send Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat
Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images
The proposed trade would send Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat
It’s been a successful offseason for the Miami Heat. Pat Riley pulled an expert-level pivot after missing out on Kevin Durant.
However, if another superstar becomes available during the season, we should expect Miami to be at the forefront of interested parties. For that reason, Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley recently shared a trade idea that would land Giannis Antetokounmpo in Miami.
The trade proposal looks like this:
Heat Get: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Milwaukee Bucks Get:Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Terry Rozier, a 2030 first-round pick, a 2032 first-round pick and a 2031 first-round pick swap
“After keeping Ware out of the Kevin Durant trade talks, the Heat would clearly need a superstar to let their second-year center go,” Buckely wrote. “Since they also have a clear (and longstanding) fascination with Antetokounmpo—which, to be fair, most teams do—it might take a megatrade with Milwaukee to get Ware out of Miami. Add the draft picks here, and that feels like enough for the Heat to at least entertain dreams of adding Antetokounmpo, whose resume features a couple of MVP awards, a Defensive Player of the Year honor and a Finals MVP.”
Giannis has reportedly been disgruntled with the Milwaukee Bucks in recent years. He has suffered three straight first-round exits from the playoffs. Moving to Miami could be enticing, as the Heat would do everything in their power to construct a contending roster around him.
Heat Refused to Trade Nikola Jovic For Durant
According to Heat insider Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Heat were unwilling to include Nikola Jovic in a trade package for Durant. As such, the Houston Rockets ultimately beat Riley to the punch, bringing the superstar forward to Texas.
“Per source with direct knowledge, Heat was willing to offer Wiggins, Rozier, Highsmith, Jaquez and 20th pick in June’s draft for Durant & Cody Martin,” Jackson reported via X. “Per Shams, Suns wanted Jaquez, Jović, Highsmith, 20th pick and a pick swap (as well as Wiggins/Rozier inclusion). SO…Jovic and Kasparas J. need to work out for justify the decision, which was a difficult one for Heat to reach.”
Jovic is currently suiting up for the Serbian National Team at the FIBA EuroBasket tournament. Miami is clearly high on his skill set and what he brings to the table.
Heat Likely to Stand Pat
While adding Giannis would be amazing for Miami, it’s highly unlikely. He is expected to remain in Milwaukee moving forward. Therefore, Riley is most likely going to stand pat heading into the new season. Furthermore, he may avoid any major in-season trades.
The Heat will likely have some cap space next summer. By waiting now, Miami could be a legitimate player in the free agency market in 12 months’ time. Given the lack of assets the Heat have to play with, patience is certainly a virtue.
It’s also worth noting that Norman Powell will become an unrestricted free agent next summer. As such, he could leave the franchise once the 2025-26 season comes to an end. Miami is set up to have flexibility next year. By biding their time, they could quickly retool the roster ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.