Giannis Antetokounmpo had eyes for an NBA team other than the Milwaukee Bucks over the offseason. It wasn’t the Miami Heat—a not-really-full-on-slight Pat Riley and crew should absolutely interpret as one as they wait out and prowl the market for their next superstar acquisition.
According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Giannis gave serious consideration to requesting a trade out of Milwaukee over the summer. Had he surrendered to those impulses, his team of choice would have been…the New York Knicks.
So much for Miami being a desirable destination, right? Kidding. Sort of.
The Heat need to establish themselves as trade destination again
Twenty-eight other squads failed to make Giannis’ one-team list. That shields the Heat from any true embarrassment.
We are also mere weeks removed from Miami ranking as one of Kevin Durant’s three preferred trade destinations. And in that instance, it sounds like the Heat were the ones who passed on the blockbuster possibility.
Still, the Giannis situation is different. He is not just a superstar in his prime. He’s the marquee name around whom Miami has seemingly structured its entire direction.
Failing to earn even an honorable mention at a time when he’s contemplating his future outside Milwaukee is a bummer, and something the front office must take to heart.
This isn’t just about Miami’s trade assets
Miami doesn’t get to hide behind the notion of having a better trade offer next summer, either. That is true on its face. The Heat can potentially ship out four first-rounders next June: their 2026 selection (when it’s no longer a future pick), and conditional firsts in 2029, 2031, and 2033. But that has nothing to do with this latest Giannis report.
If he and his agents, Alex Saratsis and Jeff Austin, were concerned about identifying teams with enough assets to acquire Giannis, they would not have zeroed in on New York. The Knicks cannot promise a single outright first-rounder right now, and will only have two to bake into packages next summer.
Giannis’ preference is clearly rooted in basketball curiosity. New York has caught its attention because of who and what’s already in place. If nothing else, this is the message Miami must take away from the newest update.
Yes, continuing to load up on draft picks will be important for the Heat’s inevitable next trade. But proving their mettle in the Eastern Conference is just as critical. That entails chasing any number of developments.
Implementing a new-look offense in which Giannis could see himself thriving is a good start. So, too, is unleashing a floor-spacing big with playmaking upside, in Nikola Jovic, who would be an ideal fit alongside the two-time MVP when Bam Adebayo sits on the bench.
Equally, if not more importantly, the Heat need some of their youngsters and more unproven guys to pop. It helps their future trade packages if Pelle Larsson, Kasparas Jakucionis, Kel’el Ware, and others look like finds.
More than that, though, it shows Giannis that Miami will have enough around him post-trade to make a real championship run. As Charania notes, this remains his top priority. It’s on the Heat to show him—and any other superstars with wandering eyes—they are just one star (or less) away from waging another title push.