The Miami Heat's chances of landing Giannis Antetokounmpo via trade this summer may be slightly better after Bill Simmons mentioned how he doesn't believe the superstar forward wants to play for a West Coast team.
If that is indeed the case, that would eliminate a few teams with significant trade ammo this offseason. Perhaps most importantly, it would help cross out the Los Angeles Lakers as a potential threat to the Heat in their pursuit of Giannis.
It's just another tea leaf that would theoretically play into the Heat's favor heading into what many expect to be a huge bidding war for the former NBA MVP.
The real threat to the Heat in pursuit of Giannis
But while this is certainly "good news" for the Heat, it still doesn't address the "elephant in the room" when it comes to Giannis this summer. And it's the New York Knicks.
Because, especially if the reporting on Giannis has been accurate from the beginning, if the Knicks are involved to the full extent, it could effectively eliminate any other team in pursuit. Including the Heat. The rumors have suggested that Giannis would really only want to be a Knick if he isn't a Buck.
As hard as that may be to believe in theory, it's also something that wouldn't be so surprising for Giannis specifically. It kind of lines up with his noted personality.
And if the Knicks are interested and are willing to go all-in for Giannis, the Heat may not stand much of a chance.
It's Giannis or bust for the Heat
That could spell bad news for a Heat team that is entering an offseason that feels a lot like it's Giannis or bust. Even though the front office will never admit it, the Heat have aligned themselves for this very scenario.
And if the Heat end up missing out on Giannis, it could birth a dark era of basketball for the franchise. One that would almost require a full rebuilding of the roster, especially if there's no significant plan B, C, or D in place heading into the summer.
But the Heat can only control what's in front of them right now. At the moment, the Heat is focused on Giannis, as they should be.
If the latest whispers are accurate, too, the Heat's chances of pulling off a league-changing move for Giannis just got better. With the way things are trending, this offseason could be shaping up to be quite a whirlwind.
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