One obstacle stands in the way of the Miami Heat in the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes. (Mandatory Credit: John Fisher/Getty Images)
Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo hasn’t officially requested a trade yet, but we’re treading down that path. On Wednesday, ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported that Antetokounmpo’s agency and the organization are discussing their future partnership together, which is never a good sign.
The Bucks are 9-13, are bereft of draft capital, don’t have a ton of young talent (outside of AJ Green and Ryan Rollins) and have $23 million in dead cap allocated to Damian Lillard … for the next five years!
The writing has been on the wall for months. We know the New York Knicks are going to be involved after reportedly engaging with the Bucks over the summer. But one could assume that the Miami Heat will be too, given Pat Riley’s affinity for “whale” hunting. We previously pondered whether they should (spoiler: They should!), but one $25 million-sized wrench is blocking them from potentially offering the best package.
Why Terry Rozier’s unresolved situation affects the Miami Heat’s Giannis Antetokounmpo pursuit:
It’s worth noting that Antetokounmpo’s agent, Alex Saratsis, also represents Bam Adebayo. You’d be hard-pressed to find many players that the Heat would trade Adebayo for. Don’t expect Antetokounmpo to be one of them because of that connection.
However, any theoretical Antetokounmpo package would take everything — and then some — to pry him away. However, the difficult part is Miami’s lack of draft capital, especially if Adebayo isn’t involved in the package.
Currently, the Heat only has two tradable first-round picks in 2030 and 2032. Antetokounmpo could demand Miami. But Herro plus stuff with those two picks would feel light for the two-time MVP.
The Heat is still awaiting the league’s resolution on Terry Rozier. In late October, the FBI arrested Rozier amid a federal gambling scandal. He was placed on leave shortly thereafter.
At the time (March of 2023), sportsbooks allegedly informed the league about suspicious betting activity regarding multiple Rozier props from a co-conspirator. The league — and Charlotte — withheld that information from the Heat upon them trading a first-round pick (plus Kyle Lowry) for Rozier in 2024. After the fact, the NBA reportedly refused to say what it didn’t warn Miami about these allegations.
Fishy, isn’t it?!
It remains to be seen whether or not the league gives the Heat their pick back — or a compensatory pick, at the very least — which would open more tradable picks at their disposal. Should they get their own pick back, they would unlock two more tradable first-round picks (2026, 2028) they could use.
Though until that’s resolved, they are limited in their potential offer for the nine-time All-Star, who’s having an MVP-like season with Milwaukee.
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