The Miami Heat shouldn't give up on their Giannis Antetokounmpo pipe dream just yet, especially if we remember that they were one of the favorites (along with the Dallas Mavericks) to land the All-Star forward back in 2021. If Giannis does seriously consider leaving Milwaukee after this season (if not before), it's not crazy to think that the Heat could inch their way back onto his shortlist.
Back in 2021, Giannis would go on to sign a long-term extension with the Bucks when they decided to go all-in to acquire Jrue Holiday, which led them to an NBA Championship. But the Heat could still be lurking, especially considering they're going to be in a much better place (asset-wise) at the end of this season.
They could be in a prime position to make a strong offer for Giannis after this season if they do embrace a seller's role ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline. Whether the Heat will go down that route or not remains to be seen, but it certainly has to be in the back of their minds.
Especially if they're serious about a potential all-out pursuit of Giannis.
How the Heat could sneak back into the Giannis sweepstakes
One thing that must be understood about a potential Giannis pursuit is the fact that the Heat are going to need a boatload of future first-round picks, especially anticipating a potential bidding war.
If they're going to outbid the likes of the San Antonio Spurs, (possibly) the Oklahoma City Thunder, Brooklyn Nets, and the New York Knicks (a reported desired landing spot), the Heat are going to need more future draft capital than they currently have at their disposal.
And the only clear way for the Heat to get there between now and the NBA Trade Deadline or next summer is by selling off some of their veteran assets. That means a potential trade of Andrew Wiggins, Norman Powell, and perhaps one of their young players is not completely off the table.
Or at least it shouldn't be.
If the Heat does want to make a competitive offer for Giannis in the future that doesn't include Bam Adebayo, having an overwhelming number of future first-round draft picks to offer would be the way to go.
Whether this front office actually views it that way or not is the ultimate question.
However, if we do take Giannis' past at face value, there's certainly room for the Heat to inch their way back into the sweepstakes for the superstar forward. How far is Miami willing to go?