Any minute now, the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes will end for the Miami Heat.
Soon, we’ll find out if it ends with celebration or heartbreak for Pat Riley’s club. If the Heat strike out on Giannis, losing the superstar to the Boston Celtics, then Miami will have its fair share of Plan Bs.
While Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown hasn’t been linked to the Heat at all, that could change if the star forward gets moved to Wisconsin.
Miami Heat Encouraged To Target Jaylen Brown Trade
Listing out a few possible landing spots for Brown, Sports Illustrated’s Mark Morales-Smith noted the Heat could be a logical landing spot for the Boston-based All-Star.
“Miami is looking to get back on top, and Brown is a perfect fit for the Heat culture. He’s a hard-nosed player with high-end offensive skills and is a tenacious defender,” said Morales-Smith.
“Brown also comes with a championship pedigree. On the court, he reminds us a lot of a young Jimmy Butler, who thrived in South Beach and led them to an NBA Finals.”
Jaylen Brown’s NBA Career
The 29-year-old forward has been in the NBA since 2016.
Brown was drafted in the first round, third overall, out of California. The Boston Celtics have utilized Brown as a full-time starter since his second season.
For 10 years, Brown has been a cornerstone player for Boston. He appeared in 674 games, averaging 20.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.9 assists. Brown was a part of nine Celtics playoff runs, including the 2024 championship season. He was the NBA Finals MVP that year.
The star forward’s resume includes five All-Star appearances and two All-NBA nods.
Should The Heat Pursue Jaylen Brown?
A three-team deal between the Heat, Bucks, and the Celtics isn’t expected to go down.
If Giannis is traded, the current expectation is that it will be a two-team deal. Therefore, if Brown is the centerpiece of a Giannis deal, he’ll get sent to the Bucks. After that, the Heat shouldn’t hesitate to call the Bucks in search of a possible Brown deal.
Miami has multiple Plan Bs–with players like Kawhi Leonard and Kyrie Irving on the radar. Currently, neither of them is available.
Brown has the type of resume that fits what the Heat are looking for. He’s a champion and a proven top option on a winning team. Last season, Brown produced 28.7 points per game, along with 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists. He shot 47.7% from the field and 34.7% from three.
Since the Bucks showed some interest in a Tyler Herro-centric package throughout the Giannis chase, there could be a future discussion regarding Brown to Miami. For the time being, the Heat are continuing their pursuit of the Greek Freak.