Miami Heat Predicted As Top Landing Spot For Bucks Superstar By NBA Exec
president Pat Riley addresses the crowd during the Pat Riley Court dedication ceremony at halftime at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images / Jim Rassol-Imagn ImagesThe Miami Heat could put another superstar on their radar after failing to acquire Damian Lillard and Donovan Mitchell in recent years.
There is a level of uncertainty surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future with the Milwaukee Bucks, opening the door for the Heat to express interest. CBS Sports’ Bill Reiter spoke with an anonymous NBA executive who believes the Heat are one of the 29-year-old’s two preferred destinations.
“An Eastern Conference NBA executive has already heard the places believed to be Giannis’ would-be preferred destinations: “The teams I’ve heard are Miami and New York — the Nets, not the Knicks,” Reiter wrote.
The Heat could offer a package potentially centered around Terry Rozier, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Nikola Jovic, and draft capital. The issue is there’s a Western Conference contender that Reiter pointed out could trump the package of anyone else.
“There are also other teams with the means, in theory, to go after a player of Giannis’ caliber. The Oklahoma City Thunder certainly come to mind, and I asked the Eastern Conference executive about the Thunder potentially making a run if Milwaukee’s big man eventually wants out.,” Reiter wrote.
“I haven’t heard them mentioned, but yeah, if you’re Milwaukee you might just go, ‘I don’t give a f— what you want. If you want out, we’re getting the best deal we can.’ And Oklahoma City could definitely offer a good one,” the exec shared, according to Reiter.
The Heat should continue to root for the Bucks to drop easy victories, as they are 1-3 on the season.
Anthony Pasciolla works as a contributing writer to Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached