After the report of Milwaukee Bucks’ superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo contemplating his
future, the rest of the league remains on standby. The former two-time MVP and Defensive Player of the Year is undoubtedly the biggest player that could hit the trade market this season.
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After just recently turning 31 years old, Antetokounmpo is in the heart of his prime. And he is arguably a top-three player in the entire association.
He is currently playing at an MVP caliber level, averaging 29 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists per game on a career-high 64% shooting. Additionally, he dominates the game on both sides of the floor as a true two-way forward. A potential Antetokounmpo market would have plenty of suitors looking for a chance to pounce on the opportunity of adding him aboard. One of those teams will certainly be the Miami Heat.
For starters, there’s been mutual interest between Miami and Antetokounmpo in the past.
It appeared that Pat Riley and the Heat front office held back on putting all their trade chips on the table in talks for former Phoenix Suns’ aging star Kevin Durant over this past summer— in the event that someone like Antetokounmpo would become available. Despite Miami’s success at the start of this season with an impressive fast paced and revamped offense, they still lack that tier one superstar to get them over the hump. Bringing in a player of his caliber instantly addresses that.
Not to mention, he has done it before, as he led Milwaukee to the 2021 championship several years back. But what does it really take for the Heat to pry Antetokounmpo from the Bucks?
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst recently iterated that Milwaukee would work with him to facilitate a deal to his preferred destination. So firstly, he would have to have Miami as a top landing spot. And if that’s the case, Riley would have to be willing to part with a lot of pieces to put together a competitive package.
A deal centered around Tyler Herro and Kel’el Ware would be a strong starting point in trade talks.
A deal that is headlined by Tyler Herro’s near $30 million salary would also need Simone Fontecchio’s $8 million just to even out financially. Hypothetically, Herro, Fontecchio, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Nikola Jovic and their two tradeable first-round draft picks works— and is likely their most competitive trade offer that they could present to the Bucks.
A guy like Andrew Wiggins could also be substituted for Herro, if Milwaukee preferred that. It was rumored over the summer that they had some interest in acquiring Wiggins. However, talent wise, Herro is a much stronger piece for them to build with in a post-Antetokounmpo rebuild.
They would be getting a 25-year-old proven All-Star scorer. Herro is also from the Milwaukee area, so the idea of bringing in a hometown star could be appealing. When it comes to the young players, talks likely start and end with the inclusion of Ware.
After that, any other combination comes from two of the Bucks’ preference out of Jaquez, Jovic, Pelle Larsson and Kasparas Jakucionis.
The Miami Heat are unlikely to get any compensatory draft pick back from the Terry Rozier situation, according to several reports.
Although the Heat’s current tradeable draft capital is limited to just two first-rounders, they can still compensate with the plethora of that young talent to choose from. Ware, Jaquez, Jovic, Larsson and Jakucionis are all 24 years old or younger. They all make around the $5 million range this year, as Jovic’s extension doesn’t kick in until next season.
Terry Rozier’s ongoing sports betting case is likely to keep him out of any trade talks, despite his expiring salary technically being an asset.
It would take some significant gutting of roster depth just to be in the game for Antetokounmpo. But that’s the price to acquire one of the best players in the league. Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo both share the same agent, which is something else to monitor if trade rumors continue to heat up.
A versatile two-way frontcourt pairing of the two is enticing enough alone to compete for a championship in a wide open Eastern Conference this season. Not to mention pieces like Norman Powell, Davion Mitchell and the elite coaching of Erik Spoelstra in the fold. What would you be willing to trade for Giannis? Let us know in the comments!
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Really strange Bucks couldn’t figure out a way to transition from their championship team to present. Just awful management top to bottom. Oh well…after tanking for so many years OKC sure hit the bullseye 🎯.
“The Miami Heat are unlikely to get any compensatory draft pick back from the Terry Rozier situation, according to several reports.”
Apparently, neither the NBA nor Charlotte plan to compensate Miami for withholding relevant information prior to the 2024 Rozier trade. Riley didn’t even get a kiss or some KY jelly before getting cornholed.
It’s so funny how the sides always view things so differently. I read an article where the Bucks people were concerned about the Bucks relating to the local guy makes good and returns to his stomping grounds aspect of Tyler going back to the Bucks. Not sure they value him there as much as the Heat would like. They would possibly be interested in Jaime and Ware, and would likely want Wiggins over Ty. That would be a possible trade scenario, with the two picks, but at least twenty other teams would also give it their best shot.
Proposed trade left team Bam, Powell, Mitchell, Giannis, and Wiggins as starters, with Dru, Pelle, Goldin, KJ and Johnson at the bench.
Herro and Ware will gone, thats for sure in such trade. But only one of of a group of JJJ, Simone, Jovic can go, otherwise the bench is doomed.
Wiggins, Herro, Ware, Jovic, KJ, 2 picks for Giannis and Portis makes more sense.
Bam, Powell, Mitchell, Giannis, and Pelle as starters,
With Dru, JJJ, Portis and Simone, Johnson from the bench.
That seem relatively balanced team.
But not as fun as current one.
That would be a real fun team as it would be about a 55 win team in a full season. But, it could be a different set of players going out and not sure we get the still serviceable Portis coming our way.