I suppose, theoretically, there's still a small chance that Giannis Antetokounmpo changes his mind and ends up signing a long-term extension with the Milwaukee Bucks later this summer. After all, as Bleacher Report's Erik Pincus points out, that still is the Bucks' preferred outcome in this scenario.
It's just not talked about much because of the buzz that's been created recently, stretching back to the NBA Trade Deadline, revolving around Giannis, but it's a worst-case scenario for the Heat that could quietly still be in play.
If the rug were to be pulled out from under the Heat (and other pursuing teams), I'm not sure what other scenario would be worse. Such a decision from the Bucks would completely nuke the Heat's offseason.
The Heat's worst-case Giannis outcome would leave them in a bad place
Miami has been building up a Giannis pursuit for the past couple of years, and if that was all of a sudden off the table, it's unclear how the Heat will pivot. Sure, there have been other potential trade targets that have been thrown around in recent weeks as plan B options for the Heat, but none of them would have the impact that Giannis would.
Both on and off the floor, Giannis would completely change the trajectory of the franchise in a way that none of the other options could. Sure, the likes of Kawhi Leonard and Ja Morant would help improve the Heat's ceiling heading into next season, but Giannis is the type of superstar that transcends the franchise in a way that only a handful of players in the league could.
When thinking about what a potential move for Giannis could mean for the Heat franchise, there are only two other transactions in Heat history that could come close to that magnitude. Shaquille O'Neal and LeBron James. That's it.
That's what's at stake for the Heat in their Giannis pursuit.
The Heat are so close to something special
And it would be difficult for the Heat to recover from losing out on Giannis, especially considering how close it feels like they are at the moment.
With the way the reporting is trending, it does genuinely feel as if the Heat are on the doorstep of something magical. The likes of which they haven't experienced (via the transaction) in a very long time.
Should the Bucks just pull the rug from under them, the Heat would find themselves right back in a very dark place as a franchise. And in a very difficult place to recover.
Unfortunately, especially as things played out at the NBA Trade Deadline, I do suppose that's still on the table. Even though it feels as if Giannis' time in Milwaukee is slowly ending, nothing is ever off the table until a trade is agreed upon.
For better or worse, hat's something that Heat fans should keep in mind as the saga continues to evolve.
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