Just as the Miami Heat found a bargain elite shooter to add to their championship-level roster in 2012, the first iteration of the Giannis Antetokounpo era needs to find its own version of Ray Allen to put themselves in a position to succeed this season.
But that could be a lot easier said than done.
Because with the players that are currently on the open market, there isn't a no-brainer target for the Heat. In many ways, that's why the Heat could be holding out hope that a veteran elite shooter does emerge via the buyout market.
The Heat is hoping for an explosive buyout market
Again, there's no guarantee it will happen. But two possible buyout candidates that Heat fans (and some in the media) have begun to speculate about are Zach LaVine and Klay Thompson.
Neither is currently on the market, but that could change between now and the start of the regular season. And Heat fans are certainly hoping that's the case. Because if one of these two players, or perhaps another elite-level shooter, is a late-summer addition to the Heat, it would greatly alter the way the first season under Giannis could play out.
With a core foundation of Bam Adebayo, Giannis, Andrew Wiggins, Pelle Larsson, Tim Hardaway Jr., Davion Mitchell, and Bobby Portis, the Heat does have a good starting point for a possible championship build. But they're certainly still missing a piece or two to be considered a legit championship contender.
Whether LeBron James comes or not, an elite veteran shooter could make all the difference for the Heat. It did so for even the defending champions back in 2012, and would do so similarly for this year's Heat.
The Heat need to find an elite 3-point shooter
The good news for the Heat is that they don't need anyone to come in and be a savior. They've already landed that with Giannis. That portion of building a championship core is completed. But they do need a potential fourth or fifth option that would give the team healthy spacing on the perimeter.
That's where a player like Thompson or even LaVine would pay dividends for Miami.
While it may be considered a bit hyperbolic, there's a very real argument to be made that the Heat's chances of a successful year one in the Giannis era will greatly depend on whether they can fill out the rest of this roster effectively.
And, as has been echoed since the acquisition of Giannis was first reported, the Heat needs shooting. The addition of Hardaway Jr. is a good first step, but adding another elite veteran shooter could truly be a ceiling-raising move for the Heat.
The question is, will the right player become available? Can the Heat find their version of 2012 Ray Allen in 2026?
Add us as a preferred source on Google