Sorry Heat fans, but the Celtics have more to offer both Giannis and the Bucks

I’d be willing to wager that this isn’t the first Giannis Antetokounmpo trade speculation piece that you’ve read these last couple of weeks, and it certainly will not be your last.

Since his season ended with the Bucks and the two sides finally admitted that it is time to part ways, all that everyone can think about is where the former two-time MVP might call home next.

Why the Miami Heat could be in serious trouble

While Antetokounmpo doesn’t have a no-trade clause, he has only one team-controlled year left in his contract (the other year is a player option). So, if he doesn’t like where he is, Antetokounmpo can jump ship after a single season. No one is going to want to pay a king’s ransom for a one-year rental. This means that Antetokounmpo pretty much controls his own destiny in this scenario.

One team that he is pretty interested in playing for is the Miami Heat. Over the years, many superstars have expressed interest in going to Miami because of the city’s notoriety and the organization’s strong reputation.

However, another team that Antetokounmpo has expressed interest in going to is the Boston Celtics. And unfortunately for Heat fans, they have more to offer to the All-NBA forward.

In a recent interview with CLNS, NBA Insider Sam Amick outlined how Antetokounmpo has a lot of respect for the Celtics’ organization (and head coach Joe Mazzulla), and thinks the team gives him a better chance of competing for his second championship in the near future.

“From Giannis’ point of view…there are signs that he is looking at what that roster in Miami might look like after a trade and hypothetically comparing it to what a roster might look like in Boston after a trade, with a deeper roster and more help around [him] because he wants to contend for titles. I think anybody objectively would look at the scenarios in play for the Heat and kind of say ‘you got what you wanted,’… but are you really a contender?”

You can’t argue with this logic. Based on how clean a swap including Jaylen Brown (and draft capital) for Antekounmpo would be, the Celtics would still have Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, Neemias Queta, and a handful of athletic wings to flank around the MVP.

The same can’t be said for the Heat, who would (probably) need to give up Tyler Herro and Jaime Jaquez Jr. (along with a handful of other assets) just to make the math work. A core of Antetokounmpo, Bam Adebayo, Davion Mitchell, Kel’el Ware, and Norman Powell (if they retain him) doesn’t sound nearly as enticing.

Why it may not even matter

The good news for the Heat is that the Celtics may not even be interested in Antetokounmpo. First, as Chris Mannix pointed out, Antetokounmpo’s durability concerns (he has only made it through one postseason run healthy since 2021-22) could turn the Celtics off him. For all the concerns around Brown, he has always done a pretty good job of being available (*knocks wood*).

And second, as Brian Windhorst noted, Antetokounmpo has all the leverage here, and he may really just want to be in Miami. Plus, Brown, who is entering his age-30 season, may not be who the Bucks are envisioning as the centerpiece of their Antetokounmpo return package. Herro (26) and Jaquez Jr. (25) may be more suitable building blocks for them.

If you are a Heat fan, you are really hoping that this is true. Whether it be Damian Lillard in 2023 or Kevin Durant in 2016, the Heat have missed out on a number of marquee star players. There is only so much heartbreak a fan can take. Let’s hope, for their sake, they don’t have to deal with it again.

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