The Heat appear to be the current frontrunner in the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade sweepstakes, but the Bucks star may not be fully sold on Miami as his next destination, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. Appearing Friday on The Dan Patrick Show (Twitter video link), the NBA insider revealed that Antetokounmpo has concerns about whether the Heat can remain competitive considering what they would have to give up in a potential trade.
“The noise is tied to Miami, but there’s also some intel, discussion, kind of understanding, that Giannis has questions about what that Miami roster would look like on the other side of a deal,” Amick said. “… You don’t want to gut your roster and go to the place you’re excited to be in and then have a hard time contending for a championship.”
The latest rumored offer has shooting guard Tyler Herro going to Milwaukee, along with young center Kel’el Ware and Sixth Man of the Year runner-up Jaime Jaquez Jr. The Bucks would also receive the No. 13 pick in this year’s draft and two future first-rounders. Pick swaps and other players could also be involved, with only Bam Adebayo considered off limits.
Injuries limited Herro to 33 games this season, but he was Miami’s second-leading scorer at 20.5 PPG, while Jaquez tied for fourth at 15.4 PPG. Assuming free agent guard Norman Powell is re-signed, the post-trade offense would be focused around him, Antetokounmpo, Adebayo, and Andrew Wiggins, while the bench would mostly be filled with young, unproven players.
Amick still considers it “very likely” that Antetokounmpo will be moved before the draft and points to the Celtics as a “pretty intriguing” option that could offer a better chance to contend for a title. Amick adds that the “intrigue is real” from Antetokounmpo and his representatives, citing their perception of Boston’s roster and respect for head coach Joe Mazzulla.
Amick theorizes that the Heat’s interest in Antetokounmpo has been prominent in the media lately because they don’t have to worry about offending a star, saying, “They don’t really care what Tyler Herro feels about getting traded.” Boston has to be more “sensitive” about putting Jaylen Brown‘s name in trade rumors, especially after smoothing over a controversy that erupted last month when it was reported that Brown had “frustration” regarding his role on the team.
Amick also suggests that a “wild card team” could “come out of the shadows” and make a late play for Antetokounmpo. He states that there are “a lot of teams that are looking at this and absolutely interested,” but have to “pay attention to their own locker room dynamics.”
I support this trade
Riley is old
What does Pat Riley being old have to do with the trade?
Old people don’t make good decisions.
I get it… its Giannis but thats going to leave Anthony Carter at point, Harold Miner at SG, Jason Kapono on the wing, and Rony Seikaly in the middle. Plus not future
The Heat will be able to compete more than any other Giannis trade suitor.
Unless the Thunder step in
The Celtics beg to differ. Jaylen Brown makes almost the same amount. It could be just Jaylen (to a third team) and a pick for Giannis. That’s a monster.
I don’t think any of the league’s best run organizations will want a piece of Giannis (OKC, Celtics, Spurs, etc). At the right price, sure, but at the required price I don’t think they’ll want to cash all of their chips in and potentially hamstring the books on an increasingly injured player over 30 who is heavily dependent on physicality and athleticism to play at an elite level. Not a knock on Giannis as much as it is the risk involved.
The most annoying trade drama since Dame. Of course the Heat will be questionable after a Giannis trade, they’re bad now!
Yeah, so Giannis just figured this out? I mean you’re going to hitch your wagon to Bam, Powell, Wiggins and “young unproven” and think you’re a contender? Giannis thought the Bucks were going to be good this past year. Miles Turner was a nice addition, but that roster was never going to contend. Maybe he is past the wishful thinking stage and taking a hard look at what post trade rosters would look like. Take that pen out and cross Miami off your list.
Celtics won’t trade Brown for Giannis.
They will trade DW and Hauser/Pritchard and Walsh plus picks.
Do the Bucks know that?
That’s nowhere near enough outgoing salary. You’d have to include both Hauser and Pritchard. Hard to imagine the Celts would prefer that over losing Brown. They wouldn’t have a PG, or any guard.
They have a 25M dollar trade exception. It’s more than enough.
Sorry, 27.7M
You can’t aggregate players into a trade exception and Giannis doesn’t fit into it anyway. Not sure what you have in mind.
Giannis is now thinking it’s better to stay with Bucks because unless they are a tp 5 team now most likely a worse team after the trade. The price for him gone way down.
I am not sure Giannis can stay healthy at this age of his career. If he can play in playoffs he can be the player that can make Boston the top team. But it’s a big if. I think Boston should get Reaves and LeBron for Brown or Tatum if they can. They just need a true uncontested leader.
I have questions about Miami’s pre trade roster
lol
Good for Giannis. More guys who “demand” trades (in lieu of waiting for free agency) should think about what the rosters of their potential new destinations might look like after trading for them. Particularly when their stated purpose in demanding a trade is to contend for a championship.
If Giannis just wants to go to MIA, that’s one thing. But this appears to be about a desire to contend for a title. If he could do that on his own with an average roster around him, he wouldn’t have to ask for a trade.
I dont get why the Thunder wouldnt package Hartenstein, Dort, Cason Wallace and a boatload of picks for Giannis.
Hartenstein
Dort
Cason Wallace
the 12 and 17 this year,
2027 clippers first,
2027 Denver first
2028 OKC first
2029 Denver first
This offer could blow any other package away, and they still would have picks left over if you needed to increase it for some reason
I think this would beat any other offer and set them up as potentially the best starting 5 ever.
Shai, Mitchell, J-DUB, Giannis, Chet
Still would have McCain, Caruso, Jaylin Williams and others on bench
It seems the only reason to not do this is because of the tax. But if you are not willing to spend for that team at least for a few seasons, you are too cheap to be an owner