A Giannis Antetokounmpo trade for the Miami Heat may not be the franchise-saving move that they think it will be. That's because there's a chance that the Heat could be worse off than expected after an all-in move for the superstar forward.
As NBA insider Zach Lowe echoes, it's certainly something that the Heat must consider heading into another all-in pursuit of Giannis.
Theoretically speaking, if the Heat are able to add Giannis via trade, it's going to cost everything. Every last tradable first-round draft pick, almost every young piece, and every non-Bam Adebayo valuable veteran on the roster.
The Heat have far more work on their hands if they acquire Giannis
That could leave the Heat with a skeleton of a roster around Giannis and Bam, and without the necessary assets to build a championship-worthy supporting cast.
While they'd certainly have more name talent on the roster, the Heat could be right where they started (even after a move for Giannis) if they're not careful this offseason.
To prevent that possibility, that means the Heat should be working on multiple fronts this summer. In addition to trying to seal a deal for Giannis, they have to have a framework of not only what the supporting cast may look like, but also how they can build a stronger one on the fly.
It may not be realistic to be doing both at the same time, but that's part of what has made the Heat franchise successful in the past. Even though they've struggled to do that of late, most notably during the Jimmy Butler era, it's what set this front office apart in the past.
At the same time, it's a strategy that could get them burned. Either way, it speaks to the complexities that this franchise will have to juggle this offseason.
The Heat prioritizes the star, and worries about the rest later
Generally speaking, the Heat has been known to want to acquire the star and worry about the rest later. However, I'm not sure they'll have the luxury to do that this time around.
Giannis has made it clear that he wants to play for a contender. It wouldn't make much sense if Giannis went from playing for one Play-In Tournament team to another. And, if the Heat don't have an extensive plan to build around Giannis after he's acquired, that's exactly what he'll be doing.
The Heat have much to think about (and prepare for) heading into their second all-in pursuit of Giannis. But it's becoming quite clear that if Miami does pull off a move for the superstar, it has to be just the start of their complete roster reconstruction.
If not, the move for Giannis could be an absolute dud.
Add us as a preferred source on Google