If the New York Knicks collapse in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, the Miami Heat's hopes of trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo could take a fatal hit before the offseason even begins.
Down 2-1 to the Atlanta Hawks in their first-round series, a potential worst-case scenario is slowly becoming more and more plausible for the Heat. It's a headache that would certainly add a lot more complexity to their all-or-nothing offseason.
The Heat don't want to see the Knicks enter the Giannis sweepstakes
Even though there's no guarantee that Giannis will hit the trade block this summer, if he does, it's been thoroughly reported that the Knicks would be his preferred landing spot.
At least up to now, the Knicks haven't aggressively pursued a trade for Giannis. And perhaps that may be a big reason why he hasn't been moved yet. But if the Knicks' willingness to pursue Giannis aggressively does change, it could end up evolving the entire landscape this offseason.
Perhaps more importantly, it could put the Heat at an even bigger disadvantage to see their pipe dream come to fruition this summer.
In a saga that's been difficult to predict, if there's been anything that suggests consistent reporting, it's the fact that Giannis, at the very least, is intrigued by the Knicks' possibility. So much so that if Giannis does get traded, the Knicks would be a landing spot that he'd unquestionably embrace.
Could there be more? Absolutely. However, the Knicks, especially with the way things have been reported, seem like a favorite among the favorites.
The Heat's already long odds to land Giannis
The Heat were going to have their hands full on the Giannis front with or without the Knicks involved. If New York has a sudden change of heart, everything gets that much more difficult for Miami.
They'll not only have to compete against teams that may have more to offer in a trade for Giannis, but also against a team that Giannis may really want to be traded to. In the end, that could end up being the final nail in the Heat's pipe dream hopes for the superstar forward.
As things currently stand, the Heat already have long odds to get a deal done for Giannis this offseason. If the Knicks were to suddenly pivot to being an aggressive suitor, the Heat may as well start preparing for alternative plans this summer.
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