The start of Miami Heat training camp is roughly still two months away, but there's only so long this team can hold off on filling out the rest of its roster around Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Heat has been quite patient throughout this entire offseason, but it may soon be time for the team to pivot.
Especially if they want to ensure they get the most out of this first year build around Giannis.
It might be time for the Heat to pivot to Plan B around Giannis
It's the worst-kept secret around the league that the Heat is waiting on Klay Thompson's situation to sort itself out. But if there isn't any traction soon, which there hasn't been all summer long, the Heat may need to move on to other plans. If they want to ensure getting other quality veteran free agents, that may be the best plan of action now.
There's no guarantee Thompson is going to shake free from Dallas (or even a guarantee that Miami would be atop his list even if he did), and it's already been reported that the Mavericks would prefer to trade the sharpshooting wing rather than buy him out. The Heat's Plan B has already been rumored to revolve around DeMar DeRozan and Bradley Beal. At any moment, Miami could seemingly pivot in that direction.
Objectively speaking, perhaps that time is now.
I don't think there's much debate about what the best supporting piece around Giannis (and Bam Adebayo) would be. It's Thompson. However, with every passing day, that dream seems to get less and less likely.
After all, what incentive would the Mavericks have to just cut Thompson loose (aside from marginal salary cap savings) just so he could ring chase in Miami?
The Heat can't afford to wait around for the perfect scenario
The longer the Heat continues to wait out that process, the higher the likelihood is that they may miss out on their Plan B options. And Miami is inching closer to the point where the risk may not be worth the reward.
In theory, sure, Thompson would be a great supporting piece next to Giannis and Bam. Looking across the rest of the free-agency landscape, he would be the best option to fill out this roster. But the problem is, Thompson is not currently available. He's not a free agent.
The more the Heat continues to act as if that's the case, the better the chance they have of getting burned in the end. At this point, the Heat can't afford to put this first Giannis year in jeopardy by putting all their eggs in a Thompson dream that, honestly speaking, may never come to fruition.
And because of that, it may be only a matter of time before the Heat pivots. If they wait too long, though, this entire plan could end up blowing up in their face.
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