The last thing the Miami Heat needs is more added anxiety when it comes to their chances of landing Giannis Antetokounmpo. And if the New York Knicks were to collapse in the NBA Finals, that's exactly what would happen.
Because if there's even a small chance that the Knicks could jump back into the race for Giannis, which could be on the table if they were to blow a 2-0 series lead in the NBA Finals, that would make Heat fans much more nervous.
If the Knicks are open to the idea of trading for Giannis, that could significantly shift the Heat's standing as the "favorite" for Giannis. After all, let's not forget, it wasn't too long ago that the Knicks were considered Giannis' only preferred destination.
Could New York swipe Giannis from Miami at the finish line?
Sure, a lot has changed in the last few months, but if I were a betting man, I'd imagine Giannis would welcome a trade to the Knicks much more than one to the Heat. If it really came down to those two teams, and the offers were close, I'd have a hard time envisioning the Bucks not trading him to where he'd want to be.
And, if past reporting is any indication, it's New York.
Giannis (and his team) may have come around on the idea of being traded to Miami, but you'd have to imagine that a big part of that is because New York just hasn't been an option for him. But, if that were to suddenly change, you can see why and how it would just add much more anxiety (and pressure) on the Heat's front office.
Then again, the argument could be made that the Knicks may not be "in" on Giannis, whether they win or lose in the NBA Finals. I just don't buy that. I can't envision a world where the Knicks blow a 2-0 series lead in the NBA Finals and don't explore every possible scenario to improve the roster.
Maybe they can't find a path toward putting together a competitive offer for Giannis, or maybe they decide he isn't worth gutting the roster for after getting so close, but I'd be surprised if they didn't, at the very least, explore the idea of it.
And even that small step could be enough to ramp up the heat (no pun intended) in Miami.
The Heat's front office just doesn't need that. Nor does its fan base that's already battling PTSD from previous whiffs on star players.
Either way, no matter what ends up happening in the NBA Finals, there's one thing that's pretty clear. The fact that the Heat needs to get this done. With as much smoke as has developed around the idea of a Giannis trade, there's no going back now. They have to figure out a way to finalize a deal now.
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