Though the Miami Heat are coming off a big win against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the rumors surrounding the team have heightened ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline. As the rumors around the Heat will continue, the two big names that have been linked are the Memphis Grizzlies’ Ja Morant and the Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo.
In the short-term, Morant was the hot topic surrounding Miami, with the interest being mutual, though the basketball world had been wondering what the team give up for the star. According to the latest reporting from Marc Stein, he said that the Heat “should be scratched” as an option for Morant, “even if the terms are favorable,” since they don’t want to ruin a future move for Antetokounmpo.
“One well-placed league source insisted to me that the Heat should be scratched as a Morant suitor — even if the terms are favorable — if such a move jeopardizes a future trade run at Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo,” Stein wrote. “All indications are that Antetokounmpo will not be in trade play before the Feb. 5 deadline, but as we’ve often warned readers previously, that won’t stop interested teams from continuing to plot future pursuits of The Greek Freak.”
“And word is that Miami believes it will be firmly in the mix as a legit trade destination for Antetokounmpo if he actually becomes available at season’s end — at last — as various rival teams project,” Stein continued.
Heat could lay off Ja Morant pursuit, focus on Giannis Antetokounmpo
While there had been questions about the Heat pursuing Morant and what that could mean for Antetokounmpo, there is no doubt that going after the Bucks superstar is the “dream scenario,” as described by Hoops Hype. This was also discussed by Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel, with Miami saving its expiring contracts and other assets for a potential deal in the future.
“First, outgoing assets should not factor into a deal for Ja Morant, which at this point looks like it will be settled for pennies on the dollar, as a salary dump,” Winderman wrote. “But you do raise the reasonable point of perhaps not even tossing in expiring salaries that can be utilized in a possible trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo.”
At any rate, it remains to be seen what happens with the Heat’s pursuit, or lack thereof, regarding Morant and Antetokounmpo, ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline.
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