Heat predicted to trade for $134M 2-time NBA champion, All-Star to pair with Giannis Antetokounmpo originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Miami Heat are off and running after opening their regular season against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night. However, the game didn't go the way they wanted, despite a major offseason that raised expectations.
This offseason was a huge one for Miami as the team went all in on winning a championship. The first major move was trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“The Milwaukee Bucks are trading franchise icon Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to the Miami Heat for Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round picks (including No. 13 in Tuesday's NBA draft), one pick swap and one second-round pick, sources told ESPN. The Heat are sending to Milwaukee unprotected first-rounders in 2031 and 2033 along with No. 13, a pick swap in 2030 and a 2033 second-rounder, according to sources," ESPN's Shams Charania wrote.
In free agency, the team added veterans Klay Thompson and Tim Hardaway Jr. Still, Miami could make another move to strengthen its roster. CBS Sports' Sam Quinn believes the Heat could trade for veteran guard Jrue Holiday.
“The Blazers have too many guards and they'll need to create cap space to renegotiate-and-extend Deni Avdija next offseason if they want to keep him out of 2028 free agency. One of these guards is getting traded, and if the Blazers really do wind up starting Damian Lillard and Ja Morant together, bringing Holiday off the bench at this salary seems a tad wasteful, especially if they plan to keep budding defensive ace Scoot Henderson next summer. Anywhere. There is not a team in the history of basketball that would not be improved by Jrue Holiday's presence. Low-maintenance offense, still strong defense and an all-time teammate. Take your pick on who can fit the salary. The usual suspects (Detroit, Toronto, Miami),” Quinn wrote.
Acquiring Holiday would be a significant move for Miami and could make the team even more dangerous. Davion Mitchell is currently the starting point guard, but adding Holiday could allow the Heat to use Mitchell's explosiveness off the bench. The move would also reunite Holiday and Antetokounmpo, who won an NBA championship together with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Holiday is currently playing on a $134 million contract with the Portland Trail Blazers. The Heat have made it clear that they are focused on winning a championship, and adding a veteran like Holiday would be another major move toward that goal.
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