Whether the Miami Heat gave up too much for Giannis Antetokounmpo, or whether it will be a good fit, or whether this trade makes the Heat instant title contenders are questions that will be debated until day one of the new NBA season. At the end of the day, the Heat got their man; Pat Riley pulled it off.
It was between the Heat and Boston Celtics, and now the Celtics have lingering questions of their own concerning Jaylen Brown. Miami isn't worrying about Boston, though, but how to build a team worthy of a deep playoff run around Antetokounmpo, because Miami essentially gave up all of its depth.Â
Speaking of depth, Bobby Portis coming to Miami is nothing to be overlooked in this trade. The 11-year veteran is one of the most physical and toughest players in the NBA, and his leadership and vocalness fit exactly with who the Heat are. Portis's addition isn't lost on one major NBA legend, either, and Heat fans should take note.Â
Magic Johnson warns Bobby Portis to the Miami Heat should not be slept on
Of course, Antetokounmpo is going to get the large majority of the attention after the Heat made the blockbuster trade for the veteran champion. Miami has been chasing him for a while now, with failed attempts along the way. Today was a successful attempt, and he's Giannis Antetokounmpo; after all, there's no surprise that the discussion will be about him.Â
Magic Johnson isn't denying this, but he's also not overlooking the Heat getting Portis in the trade. The Hall of Fame legend took to X after the trade went through to highlight Portis's involvement, proclaiming that his addition is just as important.Â
"People are going to talk about Giannis Antetokounmpo, and they should because he and Nikola Jokić are the two best players in the league," Johnson said, "but don’t sleep on how important the Heat getting Bobby Portis is. Bobby’s ability to shoot from the 3-point line and his toughness, he will be a major part of the Heat success!"
With Antetokounmpo and Portis now paired with Bam Adebayo, the Heat's defensive ranking should be in the top five next season. Defense is an element the Heat will not be short of, and if Andrew Wiggins returns, Miami's defense is even better.
Johnson couldn't be more correct with his assessment of Portis's impact in this trade. Portis has averaged at least 10 points and five rebounds per game while shooting at least 35 percent from deep in each of his past nine seasons. Last year, he shot 45 percent from three, which was the second-highest percentage of his career.Â
Portis isn't a large-volume scorer, but he's there when you need him, and the Heat will benefit from it. What makes Portis's addition all the more important is simply what he brings with his presence. He's an emotional leader, vocal on the floor and in the locker room, and his leadership is elite-level. What better environment for Portis to be in than within Heat culture?Â
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