(Mandatory credit: Getty Images)
After it has been proven all season long that change is needed, the Miami Heat came up empty handed in hopes of making a franchise-altering splash this past trade deadline.
Miami put all their eggs in one basket to pursue Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. And they were at the finish line of the sweepstakes until the Bucks shut down trade talks just hours before the 3:00 PM deadline struck— leaving the Heat with zero backup plan. The teams that were most cited as a potential landing spot for the former two-time MVP included the Heat, Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves. Instead, Antetokounmpo and the Bucks had a change of heart at the most inopportune time.
Giannis has been playing this game of giving soft trade requests for years now. He hints to the media publicly on the idea of change, but never forces the Bucks’ hand. Milwaukee, of course, would never be inclined to trade away one of the best players in the world if they don’t have to. Antetokounmpo’s reluctance to stand firm on demanding out added with the Bucks desire to attempt at re-tooling around him led to him staying put past this deadline.
But that left a Heat fanbase disappointed and frustrated. An organization that is on route to be a play-in team for the fourth straight year has seemingly been stuck in mediocrity. Giannis was the pipe dream that could have brought new life. However, Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson recently revealed the details of this latest failed front office superstar pursuit.
Insight to the Giannis/Heat trade talks, per Barry Jackson:
- Bucks never made a counter-offer.
- Miami was willing to work with the Bucks for anything they requested and didn’t say “no” at any point in negotiations.
- The Heat DID find a way to acquire a third first-round pick as a sweetener before Bucks shut down trade talks.
- Bucks considered Miami’s offer, but the Bucks believe they can convince him to stay in Milwaukee this summer.
In case you were wondering, Miami’s initial offer reportedly included Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Terry Rozier and another young player or more. There was also draft capital involved of two first-round draft picks and up to three additional pick swaps.
According to Jackson, that was the package that was “internally discussed.” He added in recent days that Miami thought the Bucks were “genuine” about their interest in doing business up until it was announced that they decided to keep Antetokounmpo past the deadline.
The Miami Heat will reportedly attempt to go after Giannis again this summer.
Additionally, Jackson has stated that the Heat front office is aware of the angry fanbase after they were the only team in the entire Eastern Conference to make zero moves at the trade deadline. And Pat Riley and staff aren’t ready to throw in the towel on their Antetokounmpo dream just yet, either.
“Nevertheless, the Heat hears the angry fans and understands. That’s why it desperately tried to acquire Giannis before last weeks trade deadline, secretly crafting a way to create a 3rd 1st round pick to convince the Bucks to make the deal. It’s why another attempt at Antetokounmpo will be made this summer, according to a source.”
(via Barry Jackson)
If this overdue Bucks-Giannis divorce finally comes to fruition in the coming months, Miami’s war chest would improve to four first-round picks to offer rather than the two they only had at the deadline. But taking this into the offseason runs the risk of teams like the San Antonio Spurs or even OKC Thunder— who have a plethora of young players and picks— getting into the mix if their 2025-26 season ends sour.
Giannis ultimately demanding Miami, if it ever gets to that point, would help. Even so, Heat fans know from the 2023 Damian Lillard saga that also doesn’t guarantee anything.
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I m sick of this drama But it will persist for at least half of year.
“Miami’s initial offer reportedly included Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Terry Rozier and another young player or more. There was also draft capital involved of two first-round draft picks and up to three additional pick swaps.”
I’m sure glad the Bucks didn’t take it. Again, the Heat would still be without a back-up PF/C, other than Jovic. Plus, the team would have to:
In addition, it appears Antetokounmpo invested in Kalshi, a betting site where NBA fans traded over $23 million on his NBA future. Hmm?
“I love the Kalshi markets and have been checking them often recently,” Antetokounmpo said in a press release. “I like to win. It’s clear to me Kalshi is going to be a winner, and I’m excited to be getting involved.”
If The Freak becomes available this summer, and Riley intends to again put all his eggs in one basket and attempt to trade for him, he need to up his ante in order to compete with other teams (several of which have more players and picks to offer).
Would think a trade would include 4 FRPs, Ware and Jakucionas at minimum
T Wolves aren’t serious about trading him and he isn’t serious about leaving. Riley has been getting whipsawed in a circle jerk. Meanwhile, he had absolutely no alternate plan to improve the team prior to the trade deadline…none whatsoever. He just threw away another season without picking a direction, either to win now or re-tool for the future. He did neither. This example of gross mismanagement would have gotten him fired by most NBA organizations, regardless how many rings he can throw on the table.
From what I’ve seen NBA reporters are saying they expect a Giannis trade this summer. Sure, Milwaukee wants him to stay for the rest of his career, but they can’t build a contender given their lack of talent and future draft assets. Their best players around Giannis are Ryan Rollins, Kevin Porter Jr, and Myles Turner. Rollins is 23, Porter Jr is 25 and they really have no other young players with upside. AJ Green is their starting SG and one of the best shooters in the NBA but only shoots 3’s, and their veterans are Turner, Kyle Kuzma, and Bobby Portis. They’re also paying Damian Lillard $22m every year until 2030.
Whether it’s worth it for a team to trade everything for a 32 year old Giannis next year and extend him for 4 years/$275m is another question, but someone will do it
I just read an article that Lakers may put together a trade to get him. There’s still teams like OKC, New York, Houston, Boston, San Antonio and others that can put together better trades than Miami. How many times is Riley going to keep chasing windmills only to come up empty?
Oops. Senior moment. My bad. With all due respect. Make that the Bucks.
The whole excuse thing sounds more bogus than true. The trade was never even close to happening as they still would have had to beat the other teams offers. And the third pick they discussed, why didn’t they get it to use on someone else to improve this team? And it still doesn’t address why they didn’t get Ja after the Bucks deal fell apart?
This is the Heat using Jackson to avoid responsibility. This is how they damage control to get away with the moves that don’t work out. And then the talk about doing it again in the summer, I don’t know how anyone can buy that. One, Giannis can’t be trusted, his team just used us to gauge the market. And, if he ever really does come up for trade this summer, we are back in a bidding war against even more teams. Meanwhile, nothing got done. Anyone who buys this crap as a valid reason to not have a plan B, you’re drinking a lot of the koolaid.
There’s an old Greek saying: “You can’t hide behind your finger” which is exactly what Riley is trying to do. We still see you Pat. You can’t hide.
On Ja, reports were MEM was not willing to salary dump him like ATL did with Trae, and they wanted a FRP/prospect. So if the Heat traded for Ja that would have reduced the draft assets they have this summer, when they have 4 FRPs available to trade
I would have traded a prospect for sure, maybe even an FRP. That’s a very low price for a potential superstar. We would have all our players except one and Morant. So, even if it was our best prospect Jaime, I would absolutely trade for Ja. That would be the a fleecing beyond what we did to get Powell.
If you trade a FRP for Ja that ‘s one less pick that could be traded for Giannis this summer, so that’s why the Heat said no. According to the report above Milwaukee already said 3 FRPs isn’t enough. Ja has negative trade value around the league right now according to Windhorst because of his contract
So, we save the FRP and stop all other moves in an unending effort to get Giannis, after this flirtation with him that has already gone on for years? That is such a low percentage move as many teams with better trade packages will surely outbid us. Furthermore, the Bucks chances of trading him ever are very low. This obsession for this one trade in the myriad of possible moves is going to leave a Heat team cursed to stagnation. And there are other concerns, other contracts that need be addressed. This is just gross mismanagement by an increasingly myopic and unadaptive GM.
You don’t know if your getting Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde. Truly a crap shoot. Banking on him regaining his form of 2021-2022 (four seasons ago)? He’s currently averaging 19.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 8.1 apg and 23.5% – 3-pt. Dude is a 31.1% career 3-pt shooter. His current field goal % is 41.0. He scores a lot because he shoots a lot. Probably a good thing Heat didn’t get him.
If we are talking Ja, the price was still right. There is risk with everyone. The risk/reward ratio was too good to pass on this one. We were getting him for relative peanuts. This was a rare opportunity to get a player of Dr J like athleticism and the very real possibility that all he needs is a structured setting to get his still young career resurrected. Just looking at the fan excitement factor alone, especially compared to our hopeless Heat community state right now, makes it worth it. You’ve seen the Heat social media influencer guys, they were despondent after the deadline. And that was before we lost to probably the worst, totally committed to tanking, team in the league. We need a reason to believe.
So I was right. Riley’s plan B was to go after Giannis in the offseason. While the Bucks want to keep him and he will NEVER request a trade. Are there any optimists left here?
Soooo, he just threw the towel in on this season rather than making any trades to get some front court help? Sounds like a plan.