The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs have sent a shockwave around the rest of the NBA. They’re (hundreds of) miles away from the majority of the pack, including the Miami Heat.
Miami has done a poor job managing and accumulating assets over the last several years, leaving itself little breathing room for star chasing, a path it won’t think twice about choosing.
But where do they rank among the rest of the league?! Former NBA executive and current front office insider Bobby Marks ranked them, and the Heat aren’t in a favorable position.
ESPN gives the Miami Heat a below-average placement in latest asset rankings:
In his annual asset rankings column, former front-office executive and current front-office insider Bobby Marks organized all 30 teams into seven tiers. Miami was one of four teams in Tier 4, as well as the Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers and Milwaukee Bucks.
“Even though Terry Rozier is no longer on the roster, the trade to acquire the guard from Charlotte continues to play a role in the Heat’s draft future,” Marks wrote. “Miami will send Charlotte its 2027 pick, top-14 protected. It becomes unprotected in 2028 if not conveyed. Including the 13th pick in this year’s draft (allowed to move the night of the draft), Miami is allowed to trade a 2031 and 2033 first.”
Marks also noted that the Heat will have a few pick swaps from 2029-33 that they can maneuver in the years they don’t trade their firsts outright.
Does this mean anything in Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes?
We are still awaiting Antetokounmpo’s official trade request away from the only place he’s called home. But the breadcrumbs suggest he will be moved by the 2026 NBA Draft, which begins on June 23.
The value will be in the eye of the beholder. But from a pick capital perspective, the Heat have as many as a few of their East counterparts — namely the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks and Orlando Magic, who traded four first-round picks for Desmond Bane last summer. Not all of those teams will pursue the two-time MVP as much as the Heat, per se, but that matter should a bidding war arise. The Celtics can trade three firsts, the Knicks can only trade two first-round picks (No. 24 overall, 2033) with access to seven second-rounders and the Magic can only trade one.
Neither have quite the crop of young players the Heat have, but their best assets are arguably better than Kel’el Ware, the Heat’s top asset not named Bam Adebayo (who they aren’t moving). That said, among those ranked above Miami are the Atlanta Hawks, Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors. And those teams have a strong crop of young talent and draft capital it can yield for Antetokounmpo — or another disgruntled star in the future.
At the end of the day, what matters most is 1.) what the Bucks value and 2.) More importantly, where Antetokounmpo wants to actually play basketball. But the Heat will unquestionably have steep competition.
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Below are excerpts from the following article:
What’s the point in going all in for the Miami Heat? (Originally posted on Miami heat on SI)
“…The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs have humbled most of the league without playing them. Their teams are more athletic, defensively potent and talented, so there’s somewhat of a feeling of having to wait out this run like Eastern teams did during LeBron James’ prime.
Luckily for the Miami Heat, they play in the East and wouldn’t have to see San Antonio or OKC until the NBA Finals. Trading for a big star doesn’t have its downsides like playing in the West, but they can’t beat those teams even with Giannis Antetokounmpo in uniform”…
“It’s easy to picture Nick Arison and the committee watching the Western Conference finals from their war room, sitting there with disconcerted expressions. The Thunder, if they are defeated, which would happen in the series because Chet Holmgren is overmatched physically, might be one of the few teams that could trade for Giannis without depth being terribly affected.
Remember when Pat Riley said the NBA was the chip stacking business? If the committee is comfortable making moves to say they got to the NBA Finals, then the standards have changed in Miami.
If only managment wasn’t so stubborn and was willing to commit to the long game of a retooling. Perhaps some mileage and most importantly, spreading more money around, will have weakned the depth of these Western powers. No one knows what kind of run the Spurs will go on, but they always be in the mix as long as Wembanyama is healthy. The same could be said with the Thunder led by SGA.
The Heat need to accept that there is no quick fix to get on their level.”
Same thing fans of 28 teams are saying. Zach Lowe said 28 NBA front offices were having an existential crisis watching Gm 1 of WCF. Should they all just fold and not compete, watch OKC and Spurs battle for next x number of years? Things change fast in the NBA and there’s also a huge advantage of being in the EC, much more open path to the Finals.
To say a team adding one of the best players in the league still has 0% chance in Finals vs OKC or SAS is simply not accurate, and seriously underrating Giannis’ level of impact.
retool aint happening here sm.fans will start paying more attention to panthers go to beach just do other things.not dedicated northeast type fans here.they go to heat games for something to do.rebuild aint happening forget about it.
Right, they have gone to games and basically filled the arena to watch the great play-in team. To watch a team that has won ONE PLAYOFF GAME IN THREE YEARS!! You think adding young, athletic players will result in interest? I don’t. And stop with your 10 year baloney story. That won’t happen either.
**should have indicated that adding younger, more athletic players would, in fact, result in a higher level of interest, not a lower level of interest.
Vegas has odds on what team Giannis is on next season, by implied probability its currently
Miami 27%
Milwaukee 25
Boston 12.5
Golden State 10
Brooklyn 8.3
NYK 8.3
MIN 8.3
OKC 6.3
DET 5.3
POR 5.3
CLE 5
etc
if your offered jalen brown thats a deal breaker.theres wares jjjj herros already on roster.no jalen brown type players currently on roster.brown turner kuzma portis rollins trent jr prob beat this years heat team
That Milwaukee lineup you listed was -10 with Giannis off the floor last year
Giannis on off was +14, MIL was +4 (actually a good team) in his minutes and -10, an awful team without him.
Then you’re adding Brown to that lineup whose on off was -5 on Boston last year. Don’t see how that makes sense for Milwaukee, if they couldn’t win with Giannis how would they win with Brown in the same lineup
Boston could send MIL #40 in this draft and three future firsts
Miami could send #13 and three future firsts
So Miami can send more draft compensation. The rumor from the draft combine is that Milwaukee is operating as if they will have multiple firsts in this draft this year.
Giannis makes about $58m next year, Brown $57m. Giannis is eligible for a 4/$275 extension = 5 years $333m total starting next season
Brown is in year 3 of his contract, still owed 3/$183 and is eligible for a two year $141 extension, 5 years $324m starting next season
Same money for Giannis and Brown (and Donovan Mitchell) over the next 5 years, with Giannis being older at 32 vs Brown and Mitchell both 30, but Giannis at a vastly higher level of impact
when u trade a top 5 player for prospects picks not gonna go well in milw
How would building around a 30 year old Jaylen Brown be better for Milwaukee/how would it be any different than trying to do that with Giannis this past year.
MIL would pay $57m to Brown, $26.5m to Turner, $22.5 to Lillard next year.
>100m per year (>60% of the salary cap) for those three players for the next 3 years, only two are on the team.
Also worth asking if Brown was the best player on his team this past year. BOS was +8, and 10 points better with Derrick White and 5 worse with Brown
D White +11.2 on, +1.5 off, +9.7 net
Brown +6.2 on, +10.8 off, -4.6 net
A year ago Brown’s contract was ranked as 4th worst in the NBA behind PG, Embiid and Beal. Now is considered equivalent contract to Giannis based on one year? Not buying that
Good. That means Heat will get higher lottery pick.
Miami having all their own picks going forward besides the one pick going to CHA in 27 or 28 gives them an advantage over teams like NYK, CLE, MIN, who already cashed their picks in in previous trades
Time to cash in the picks is now. Giannis is one of 18 in NBA history to win multiple MVPs. Those players are almost never available in a trade. This situation is literally a once in a 10-20 year occurrence or more, Heat by being patient (not trading Herro, not trading for Beal etc) have put themselves in a good position here.
*16 players who have won multiple MVPs
How happy will Gianni’s be a year from now if the Heat team he joins is not much better than the Bucks team he leaves behind. I can’t begin to imagine what Miami’s 8-10 man rotation will look like if 5 or more of this seasons rotation players are gone.
Bucks were -6.4 last year overall, -10 without Giannis playing. Heat were +2.2
A trade would involve Herro and Ware, who were the two worst rotation players on defense last year
Would look to keep Larsson (#1 priority), then Jakucionis, then Jaquez. Worth noting that the projected trades do not have them all being traded
Heat are a relatively deep team already and can afford to make a consolidation trade (esp. for an MVP). Can find a good player at #41 and undrafted. Three of the 4 teams left in playoffs have an undrafted player in their starting 5
Seems like you are arguing that the Heat rotation isn’t good enough as is, which Riley admitted, but also that a trade wouldn’t be good because it would weaken the current rotation.
My argument would be if an MVP is available you get him and figure the rest out. The hardest thing to do is improve the rotation at the top. You can do a lot at the middle and end of the rotation, and Heat have a track record of that.
Giannis is also the level of player who makes everyone around him better. I don’t think filling out a rotation around Giannis and Bam would be a problem. Giannis is a one man top 5 offense and I really like Bam’s ability to cover for Giannis on defense.
Trading away young talented players and several picks and pick swaps for Giannis will hardly allow Miami to compete with New York, Cleveland, Boston or Detroit, much less San Antonio and OKC. Anyone who thinks it will is only fooling themselves. The 2027 free agent class is a better place to start looking for an elite player (or two). Now is not the time.
Miami with Giannis would overnight become a contender to win ECF next year, with NYK, Indiana, Detroit, Boston etc.
The only comparable FA in 2027 to Giannis is Jokic, who has given no indication he’s leaving Denver. The next are Mitchell, KAT, AD, etc, who are all paid the same as Giannis
Considering the team’s payroll limitations (Giannis and Bam alone will cost $108M next season and $126M+ in 2027-2028), exactly what kind of supporting cast do you think you can put together around them? Once you figure that out, ask yourself honestly: “Can this team compete for a ring?”
unless he just wants to live in beautiful warm weather miami dont see him coming here
The right order is:
There is not much Heat can do. The target destination will be picked within the family, and if they prefer something else then Miami, then thats it. If not, he will probably land where he wants to land, but the price should be fair.
Herro, Ware, 1 another young player, max 2, and picks and pick swaps.
At the end of the day, what matters most is 1.) what the Bucks value and 2.) More importantly, where Antetokounmpo wants to actually play basketball.
Actually, what matters most is 1.) what Miami will need to give up to get Antetokounmpo (players, picks and pick swaps, 2.) what players/assets will Miami have left and most importantly,
3) will that version of the Heat have a legitimate chance of winning the Championship?.
If the answer to #3 is no, I wouldn’t do it. Instead, I would look at other options.
forget about Giannis. Even if someone like Donovan Mitchell or Devin Booker becomes available, what do the Heat really have to offer? Some young role players and a few picks. Basically the same thing as everyone else. At this point, the Heat’s only chance is to pray that an all-star on an expiring contract specifically asks to go to the Heat. And even then, results have been mixed