Giannis Antetokounmpo is said to be the next big target for the Miami Heat and when the 2019 MVP is acquired, the former NBA champs plan to rebuild around the "Greek Freak." There is a possibility of Antetokounmpo entering free agency in 2021, and reports said the Heat will be first in line to lure him out Milwaukee.
The plan by Heat president Pat Riley is to hire two superstars that will join Jimmy Butler and things will be set in motion by summer next year, Yahoo Sports reported.
"We've done this four times now, had a good group of players, young players, and then either through free agency or through trade brought the superstar in," the report quoted Riley as saying.
How exactly the Heat will snatch Antetokounmpo and ensure success? This early, the team is making preparations for the planned move and top priority is to create a sizeable salary cap that will support an aggressive offer.
Aside from Antetokounmpo, Riley is said to be eyeing Victor Oladipo, Clutch Points reported, citing the information shared by Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
"Miami wants to preserve max cap space that summer for a run at Giannis Antetokounmpo or, secondarily, a few other targets including Victor Oladipo," the report said.
It seemed the Heat is waiting for a scenario to play out, in which Antetokounmpo will opt out of the expected extension that the Milwaukee Bucks will offer to him in 2020. When that happens, the chance is high the Greek Freak will become a free agent the following year.
Riley then will surely swoop in, hoping that Antetokounmpo and Oladipo are ready for the taking. He will be backed by a war chest for such an ambitious campaign.
However, tempting superstars is nothing new to Riley. As Yahoo recalled, the Heat exec made a convincing case with LeBron James when the latter entered free agency in 2010. James left Cleveland and over the next four years led his new team to winning runs.
Riley's efforts led to two NBA rings for James, and he could use the same argument to sway Antetokounmpo into chasing NBA honors like what King James did with Miami, then back with Cleveland, and now with the Lakers.
The likelihood though of Antetokounmpo going along with Riley's pitch talks will greatly depend on how the Bucks will perform. If his stay with Milwaukee will show he could be seen in the NBA Finals soon, he'd likely stay where he is. And it helps he is comforted by a $100 million contract.
But the Bucks faltering despite having an NBA MVP on the roster will open a wide door for Riley to make his super-max counter offer to Antetokounmpo.
