Austin Konenski
The Miami Heat are pursuing a trade for Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Bucks have set a self-imposed deadline of trading Antetokounmpo before the 2026 NBA Draft, and the clock is ticking. As of now, Miami hasn’t been able to seal the deal with pressure from the Boston Celtics.
With a blockbuster trade imminent, what should the Heat do to land Antetokounmpo? It’s time for Miami’s front office to get this deal done.
Miami Heat should find a third team for Tyler Herro
The Bucks don’t want Tyler Herro. Milwaukee is not thrilled with the idea of acquiring Herro, as an extension will be necessary after the 2026-27 NBA season. The 26-year-old is coming off a season where he averaged 20.5 points per game, but he has only played over 45 games once in hte last three years.
Therefore, Miami is tasked with the assignment of finding a new home for Herro. The Heat must find a third team for Herro, so Milwaukee can acquire the assets for moving him. Several teams would make sense for Herro, such as the Detroit Pistons and Memphis Grizzlies.
One of the most realistic scenarios could be sending Herro to the Pistons for the No. 21 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. If the compensation is too heavy for Detroit, the Heat could look to find other assets that Milwaukee would like for Herro in other potential trades as well.
While Herro is from Wisconsin, it doesn’t seem like he would play for his hometown team in an Antetokounmpo trade. If Milwaukee wanted Herro, it could pull the trigger at any time and make this a two-team deal. Since the Bucks aren’t interested, a Heat trade for Antetokounmpo would likely be a three-team.
Time is ticking, and the Heat have to find a home for Herro. After all, Miami can’t whiff on this opportunity.
The Heat must empty the asset pool for Giannis Antetokounmpo if needed
The Heat havce come up short of landing NBA stars for the last seven years. After acquiring Jimmy Butler in 2019, Miami has swung and missed on several stars, such as Damian Lillard and Donovan Mitchell. However, this pattern can’t continue. The Heat must land Antetokounmpo this time.
Miami is widely considered the favorite to trade for Antetokounmpo. While the Heat may not be forced to put every asset into the deal, no player should be off limits. If Milwaukee comes back with a reason for Miami to improve its offer, there should be no hesitation.
The Heat would likely want to keep Pelle Larsson or Kasparas Jakučionis, but neither is good enough to derail a trade for Antetokounmpo. If the Bucks won’t do a deal unless they get everything they want from the Heat, why should the organization not follow through on those demands?
A duo of Antetokounmpo and Adebayo is good enough to contend for a championship, and the Heat have shown their ability to find diamonds in the rough. Miami could field a championship-contending team around them, even if it trades most of its young core.
If the Bucks don’t have any reason for the Heat to improve their offer, the team should stick to its guns. Milwaukee could blink and trade Antetokounmpo; however, the Heat can’t afford to let this opportunity slip through their fingers again.
Read More: Report Reveals Encouraging Update on Miami Heat’s Pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo
