Proposed Trade Lands 9-Time All-Star With Miami Heat
Posted October 15, 2025
Pat Riley is known for coveting superstar talent. The Miami Heat missed out on Kevin Durant earlier this summer, as they failed to pry him from the Phoenix Suns. However, that doesn’t mean Riley won’t continue to bide his time and wait for the next star to hit the trade market.
That could mean that Miami emerges as a potential destination for Giannis Antetokounmpo, if his situation with the Milwaukee Bucks continues to deteriorate. And while the Heat aren’t expected to be one of his preferred landing spots, the franchise could likely put together an enticing trade package.
With that in mind, Matt Moore of FanSided recently proposed a trade that would send the 9-time All-Star to the Kaseya Center, should he become available. The trade idea looks like this:
“Jovic is valuable, but his value diminishes with Giannis there,” Moore wrote. “And you avoid paying Herro a big extension. You re-sign Norman Powell on a big extension and try to win now with Giannis-Bam-Powell.”
Riley would undoubtedly ensure that he surrounds Giannis with the necessary talent to compete with the Heat. The key would be surrounding him with two-way talent that thrives on the perimeter and can guard their yard defensively.
Heat Would Need Time to Build Around Giannis
For the Heat, the biggest drawback to acquiring Giannis would be that they wouldn’t immediately be ready to contend. The two-time MVP has made it clear that he wants to compete for another championship. Yet, the cost of prying him out of Milwaukee would likely mean the
Heat needs a year or two to build a competitive roster. That likely won’t fly with Giannis, who will turn 31 on Dec. 6.
Sure, Miami could trade for Giannis, but he doesn’t owe the franchise any loyalty. He would likely opt out of his player option at the end of the 2026-27 season and make his way to a situation that would better suit his goals. Whether that means the
Heat would become hyper-aggressive in the trade and free agent market, as they bid to appease Giannis, would remain to be seen.
Of course, this is all hypothetical. Nevertheless, it’s a potential scenario that could arise if Miami did find a way of striking a deal with the
According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, who was speaking on a recent episode of ESPN’s First Take, the teams around the
NBA are preparing to see Giannis leave the Bucks in the near future.
“It is very clear to the whole league that Giannis’s situation in Milwaukee is probably short-term,” he said. “Could they surprise the league this year and have a great run in the Eastern Conference? I’ve seen stranger things. But the league is preparing for the end of Giannis’s tenure in Milwaukee.”
If, or more likely when, Giannis becomes available, the Heat will likely be listed among the interested parties. However, that doesn’t guarantee them a seat at the negotiating table. And, if Giannis has a desired destination, Milwaukee would likely try to honor that.
Still, Riley won’t easily be dissuaded from trying to bring a genuine superstar to the Heat; after all, that’s always one of his primary goals for the franchise.
NBA analyst says the quiet part out loud about Coby White
The Chicago Bulls need to make a decision when it comes to Coby White, as he is going to hit the free agency market this summer and doesn’t have an extension. If they aren’t going to sign him, they should trade him. But they haven’t done anything yet. Kevin O’Connor spoke with Kenny Beecham about it on
“There’s a chance,” O’Connor said with a smirk after Beecham pitched the Bulls as a League Pass darling team. “I mean, I love Matas Buzelis. I love Buzelis. I mean, I would love to get rid of Vucevic and Zach Collins, and trade Coby White for a haul if you’re just not going to sign him. Like, what’s going on with Coby White, Kenny? Do the Bulls want him or not? Strange. Very strange. Because I feel like he’s a guy that you’d want to have as a keeper.”
So, what are the Bulls doing with White?
What are Bulls doing with Coby White?
White only has one year left on his contract—this year. Chicago hasn’t handed him an extension yet, which could allow him to enter unrestricted free agency this summer.
Losing White for nothing in free agency would be an unmitigated disaster for a Bulls front office that has been absolutely disastrous. Even during his pitch to call the Bulls a fun League Pass team (which O’Connor’s above quote was in response to), Beecham references the front office’s issues.
“When you think about League Pass darlings, teams that are not going to win a ton of games, but are going to be fun to watch,” Beecham said. “High pace, good three-point shooting, great passing, good movement, takeover games occasionally. Buzzer-beaters, you know we got those between Josh Giddey and Coby White. I think—Listen, we all understand that the front office has been really bad over the last five years. We all agree there. We don’t know where this team is going. But if we’re looking at the product as is, it’s gonna be a fun watch. My pitch is that we’re going to be fun to watch, and people should tune in.”
If the Bulls wanted to trade White this season, they could probably get a decent return. But at the same time, he’s a very talented player who could help them move forward into the future. Yet he doesn’t have a new contract…
