With few marketable assets, the Miami Heat face an uphill struggle to improve their existing lineup. Nonetheless, Pat Riley is likely to enter the summer with the goal of adding a new elite player to the rotation.
Former NBA All-Star DeMarcus Cousins thinks Giannis Antetokounmpo should be that player for Miami. His comments occurred on a May 20 episode of FanDuel TV’s Run It Back.
“I think Giannis and the Bucks have ran their course,” Cousins informed reporters. “I believe he has given them everything he can. And I believe it is time for him to start thinking about himself in this position. It’s time for him to be selfish about his career. I’d love to see Giannis in Miami. I believe that would be a wonderful step…It would undoubtedly help Miami, which is struggling to find a superstar following the separation with Jimmy Butler. This makes sense. He’s already expressed his desire to play in a tax-free jurisdiction. “That makes sense.”
If Giannis decides to leave the Milwaukee Bucks, there will be plenty of demand in his talents. A bidding war will definitely begin, and Miami may struggle to keep up with some of the other teams in the league.
Nonetheless, Riley has a wealth of experience. If he believes there is a potential of bringing Giannis to South Beach, he would most likely have a plan to make it happen.
Andrew Wiggins Would Likely Be Part of That Trade.
The Heat will most likely include Andrew Wiggins in any prospective trade for a superstar-level player. His contract’s average yearly value of $27.2 million makes it a great wage-matching tool, particularly for someone earning a high salary.
“I’d say 50/50. And would probably go with the under at this point, if only because Andrew Wiggins’ contract is in the sweet spot of what is required to make a trade work,” Ira Winderman recently noted. “With Pat Riley’s focus on retooling rather than rebuilding, it appears that the most likely approach would be to replace Andrew’s contract with a more consistent offensive threat…” It felt like Andrew was just passing through for a squad that ended the season in desperate need of a facelift, if not an overhaul.”
Wiggins, 30, is likely to be the first name mentioned in any prospective deal. While he is not a star, he is talented enough to contribute to a team’s future success.
Heat May Struggle to Create a Trade Package.
According to ESPN’s Dace McMenamin, who appeared on the “Rich Eisen Show,” the Heat will struggle to put together an acceptable trade package for Giannis.
“Don’t take any of the cheese when you’re hearing Heat, Lakers, Knicks, you know, the supposed blue bloods of the NBA,” McMenamin told the audience. “I just don’t see them—they don’t have the capital. They don’t have the space. They do not have the components. “None of these three.”
It will be interesting to see how Riley tackles trade negotiations this summer, especially when several great players, including Giannis and even Kevin Durant, are expected to be available.
Leave a Reply