{"id":733969,"date":"2026-05-14T07:45:22","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T07:45:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/733969\/"},"modified":"2026-05-14T07:45:22","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T07:45:22","slug":"former-heat-champion-doubts-franchises-ability-to-build-champion-around-giannis-antetokounmpo-hot-hot-hoops","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/733969\/","title":{"rendered":"Former Heat champion doubts franchise’s ability to build champion around Giannis Antetokounmpo – Hot Hot Hoops"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"GiannisFormer Miami Heat guard Gary Payton revealed a harsh truth regarding the Miami Heat\u2019s pursuit for Giannis Antetokounmpo. (Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

As we inch closer to summertime, it appears that the Milwaukee Bucks trading Giannis Antetokounmpo this summer is a when, not if. And, in a perfect world, the organization would preferably<\/a> like a deal done by the 2026 NBA Draft, which begins June 23.<\/p>\n

The Miami Heat\u2019s worst-kept secret is that they will be pushing for Antetokounmpo \u2014 hard. They have pursued the Bucks\u2019 two-time MVP for over a half-decade, and Heat president Pat Riley said during his end-of-season press conference that he\u2019s going to be \u201caggressive as hell\u201d to improve the team.<\/p>\n

But do the Heat have the means to accomplish that? Former Heat guard Gary Payton does not believe so.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t want to lose what they have with the guys that they got,\u201d Payton said, according<\/a> to DJ Saddiqi. \u201cThey\u2019re gonna have to give either Bam (Adebayo) up, and then one of the other shooters, they would have to give one of them up. They have to give somebody up. So then you\u2019re going to build around one person. I don\u2019t know how that\u2019ll work.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re gonna have to give up Herro, you\u2019re gonna have to give up Bam, you\u2019re gonna have to give up somebody. \u201cWiggins is on there too. You gotta understand you gotta give up some of these players or you got to give up one or two of them. That\u2019s what I\u2019m saying. \u2026 I don\u2019t really think that\u2019s going to be a sure championship. I think they\u2019ll get better, but I don\u2019t think they\u2019ll be. It depends on who\u2019ll be around them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Heat need a reset, but at what cost?<\/p>\n

Obviously, the prospects of acquiring Antetokounmpo are a tantalizing one. He\u2019s still an MVP-caliber player when he\u2019s healthy.<\/p>\n

However, the Heat are in a unique position. They need a superstar to dig themselves out of the self-inflicted grave they dug. But they\u2019re more than just an Antetokounmpo away from competing with, say, San Antonio and Oklahoma City, the two prohibitive title favorites out West. <\/p>\n

To acquire Antetokounmpo, it\u2019s going to have to be uncomfortable. But how uncomfortable are the Heat willing to get \u2014 and, most importantly, how uncomfortable should they get?! There are a few teams that can give up a haul and still have enough to build a contender around Antetokounmpo by virtue of existing talent, free agency or draft capital.<\/p>\n

You could argue the Heat don\u2019t quite have that luxury, especially if it was forced to give up all three of their tradable first-round picks plus a combination of Kel\u2019el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr. or Pelle Larsson. <\/p>\n

Obviously, at the end of the day, you\u2019re going to have to give something to give up something. But I\u2019m curious to see where the line in the sand is for the Heat brass.<\/p>\n

Heck, given the state of affairs, there may not be one.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

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