If Joe Cronin manages to steal Giannis Antetokounmpo away from the Miami Heat and Pat Riley this summer, it's going to be an impossible pill for the fan base to swallow.
And before you laugh away this idea, it may not be that outlandish. According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Portland Trail Blazers are expected to emerge as a prime suitor for Giannis this summer (if he does hit the trade block again).
With intriguing young players and a trove of future draft capital, the Blazers could be the exact trade partner that the Milwaukee Bucks would hypothetically be seeking. Perhaps most importantly, it could be the one competitor that the Heat don't want to see in an expected bidding war for the superstar forward.
The only hurdle standing in the way of this possibility coming to fruition is Giannis' desire to sign a long-term deal with the Blazers. If he were open to such a scenario, the Heat could certainly be in a world of trouble. And against an old foe who has gotten the best of them in the past.
Joe Cronin has gotten the best of the Heat in the past
Back in 2023, the Heat's fan base learned of Cronin as the general manager who would refuse to even consider trading Damian Lillard to Miami, after the All-Star guard had made it clear he wanted to play for the Heat.
In the end, Cronin eventually traded Lillard to the Bucks. We could see the favor returned by the Bucks, who may be willing to do business again with Portland. This time around, though, it would serve as the ultimate gut punch to the Heat.
If Cronin manages to spurn the Heat by first trading Lillard to a different team, and then stealing their pipe dream trade target in the matter of three years, I'm not sure how Riley and the rest of this front office recovers.
It'd certainly be an inconceivable move that would catch this fan base by huge surprise.
The Heat's competition for Giannis continues to grow
In addition to the Blazers potentially jumping into the Giannis sweepstakes, the Orlando Magic, Atlanta Hawks, New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors, and Houston Rockets have been rumored as potential suitors this summer.
A vast market for Giannis is not surprising, but it's not going to make matters any easier for a Heat team that needs to make something happen this offseason.
And just when it seemed as if their pipe dream for Giannis was becoming more realistic, there's a chance that Cronin, of all people, can come right in and land one final landing shot to the Heat's hopes.
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