Can the Heat really get involved in a potential Giannis sweepstakes? According to one ESPN source, Miami is labeled as one of the few teams that have “put themselves in position” to do so. 
(Photo via Getty Images)

Although the clarity is still not there regarding Giannis Antetokounmpo’s long-term future on the Milwaukee Bucks, the media is still talking about it. 

For months, ESPN’s Shams Charania has been all over the build up to Antetokounmpo eventually weighing his options elsewhere. As the start of the 2025-26 is just over a week away, the former multi-time league MVP is still committed to Milwaukee. But even he acknowledged recently that notion could change. 

“I believe in my team and my teammates,” Antetokounmpo said to the media this week. “Now if in 6, 7 months, if I change my mind, I think that’s human too.”

The uncertainty around one of the NBA’s greatest players makes the rumor mill naturally hot. When it comes to the 2021 Finals MVP next career destination possibilities, there are four teams that are listed as betting favorites:

The New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs and— the Miami Heat. 

It’s completely fair to doubt the Heat’s ability to pull off such a move at this point. They have repeatedly struck out on stars for years now. And the front office wasn’t even able to beat out a mediocre Houston Rockets trade package built around Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks to land a 37-year-old Kevin Durant this past offseason. 

However, ESPN analyst Brian Windhorst believes that the Heat’s hold out from offering their best assets for an aging Durant was a strategic move in the event Antetokounmpo asks out. 

“There were several teams on Kevin Durant’s list— San Antonio, Miami for example, who had the assets to trade for Durant— but they held onto them. Why did they hold onto them? Because they knew the possibility that Giannis (Antetokounmpo) could be there.”

“You look at Golden State, you look at San Antonio, you look at Miami; those are three teams that have put themselves in position to bid for Giannis if he comes to market.”

(via Brian Windhorst/ESPN)

“There were several teams on Kevin Durant’s list— San Antonio, Miami for example, who had the assets to trade for Durant— but they held onto them. Why did they hold onto them?

Because they knew the possibility that Giannis (Antetokounmpo) could be there.”

— @WindhorstESPN pic.twitter.com/sMkDfkCowp

— Hot Hot Hoops (@hothothoops) October 10, 2025

Giannis Antetokounmpo is waiting to see how the Bucks perform this season before making a decision on his future.

Antetokounmpo is coming off a dominant 2024-25 campaign of averaging nearly 31 points and 12 boards double-double per game, on elite 60% shooting. He is arguably a top-two talent in the league today. 

Any such deal for his services would come at a historic price tag. The superstar is in the prime of his career and still has all the capabilities to will any team to an NBA championship. But what would it take for Pat Riley to reel in a player like Giannis? 

Well, Bam Adebayo would reportedly be viewed as off limits in any trade talks. Clearly, the Heat would like to preferably pair Adebayo and Antetokounmpo together to gear up in the East. 

That leaves Tyler Herro, who is due to get paid, as the most likely headliner of any deal. 

Miami could also throw in any combination of young talent amongst Kel’el Ware, Nikola Jovic, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kasparas Jakucionis. It was reported over the summer that the Bucks had interest in acquiring Andrew Wiggins as well— who could be another name on the table here. 

It wouldn’t even stop there either. The Heat would need to be willing to empty the entire farm of draft capital. Even with all this being said, they’d need to hope that they can put together a more aggressive offer than rival teams on the market. 

Do you think the Heat have the pieces to pull off a Giannis blockbuster deal? Let us know in the comments!

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