The Miami Heat traded a lot of assets to bring in Giannis Antetokounmpo. After playing his entire career with the Bucks, he finally decided that the relationship had run its course. Now, he has a new challenge ahead of him in Miami.
Antetokounmpo is the superstar that the Heat have been chasing for the last few years. However, ESPN isn’t sure about how the fit is going to work long-term, mainly because of his shot selection. His lack of threes means that his game might not age as gracefully as some other superstar players.
Heat Might Not See Giannis Antetokounmpo Age Gracefully
Antetokounmpo was ranked as the most intriguing newcomer in the NBA by ESPN’s Ben Golliver. However, he is concerned about Antetokounmpo’s ability to age in the later years of his contract. He points to the fact that he no longer shoots threes as a major concern.
Finally, Antetokounmpo’s decision to virtually eliminate the 3-point shot from his scoring arsenal will make him a fascinating test case as he progresses through his 30s. The league’s most successful elder statesmen in recent years include James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Kawhi Leonard, James Harden and Chris Paul, all of whom relied on the outside shot to extend their primes,” Golliver wrote.
For years, opposing defenses have tried to keep Antetokounmpo from getting in the paint and forcing him to shoot threes. Last season, Antetokounmpo only shot 1.3 3s. His failure to develop that part of his game, even all of these years later, is why his game might not age well.
That only heightens the sense of urgency for the Heat to win a title soon. He has been one of the best players in the NBA when he has been healthy, but he has struggled to stay on the court. In the last two seasons, he has played just 103 games combined.
Miami Added Older Shooters to Help Giannis Antetokounmpo
In order to compensate for that lack of shooting from Antetokounmpo, Miami decided to add older shooters. Golliver says that, along with Antetokounmpo’s age, are two reasons why the urgency is so high in Miami.
“For those reasons, Antetokounmpo should face real championship expectations. He’s about the same age as Shaquille O’Neal was when he joined the Heat in 2004, a move that paid off with a title two years later. Reaching the Finals at some point over the next four years seems like a reasonable benchmark for Antetokounmpo given that Jimmy Butler III led Miami to that stage in 2020 and 2023,” Golliver notes.
Klay Thompson and Tim Hardaway Jr. are going to be two guys whom the Heat rely on a lot, even if both come off the bench. Their outside shooting will open things up for Antetokounmpo in the paint. The Heat ranked 12th offensively last season, but having Antetokounmpo healthy should vault them into the top 10.
Defensively, Miami should be better, as well. Bam Adebayo is already one of the best defensive centers in the league. Antetokounmpo is a former Defensive Player of the Year. Teaming both up in the frontcourt should make driving to the lane unfriendly.
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Shot Selection Questioned Heading Into First Heat Camp