Big changes are expected from the Miami Heat this summer. Erik Spoelstra’s team fell to a 4-0 first-round playoff defeat at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Jimmy Butler’s exit at the Feb. 6 trade deadline ensured Miami would be facing some tough decisions during the offseason. Pat Riley can either try to re-tool the roster on the fly, or he can accept it’s time for a full-scale rebuild.
If Riley decides to re-tool, he could turn his attention toward Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Milwaukee Bucks are in a similar spot to the Heat, and may need to make some sweeping changes. Fox Sports recently shared a trade proposal for what a Giannis trade could look like for Miami.
Bucks get: Bam Adebayo, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kyle Anderson, three first-round picks (2026, 2028, 2030)
Heat get: Giannis Antetokounmpo
“The Heat have lost in the first round the last two seasons. Antetokounmpo, alone, could get them back to where team President, Pat Riley, wants them to be: contending for championships,” Fox Sports reasoned. “What they have that the Bucks don’t is draft capital. Milwaukee, though, doesn’t just want a haul of picks from a team that’s getting its superstar because any team which acquires Antetokounmpo won’t pick high. So the Heat would have to send them a trio of picks and Adebayo, who helps Milwaukee continue to compete.”
Giannis would thrive under Spoelstra’s leadership. His athleticism and elite-level defense would perfectly fit how the Heat likes to play. Giannis’ presence could also help Miami become a favorable destination for free agents, too.
Heat’s Bam Adebayo Expects Changes
During his postgame news conference on Monday, April 28, Bam Adebayo shared his belief that Miami’s roster will look considerably different by the time the 2025-26 season begins.
“There’s going to be a lot of changes this summer,” Adebayo said. “Just from my point of view, understanding how the guy with the silver hair works. Just be prepared for that.”
There’s no doubt that changes are coming for the Heat. However, the volume of those changes will largely depend on the approach Riley decides to take.
Heat Should Embrace a Rebuild
Rather than trading for a star talent such as Giannis, ESPN’s Bobby Marks believes the Heat should begin the process of entering a rebuild. Marks believes Miami’s best path back to the top of the NBA is by tearing things down and starting from scratch.
“It’s very hard threading the needle,” Marks said. “They’ve been a Play-In team the last couple of years. Would they ever consider taking a step back, potentially taking the Oklahoma City approach? Maybe you get a core player back and draft picks and going in that direction…They are going to be where they are a year from now, if there are no changes here. It may have to be taking a step back instead of going star-chasing.”
While adding a superstar would appease fans, it’s unlikely that Miami has enough trade assets to build out a competitive roster. As such, a rebuild might be the best path forward. Unfortunately for Miami, that could be a hard sell for Riley, which is why this summer is going to be so interesting.
Be the first to comment