The Miami Heat is back to facing lofty expectations after the franchise emptied its cupboard to acquire two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks in June.
Antetokounmpo headlined several Heat roster moves, with veteran sharpshooters Klay Thompson and Tim Hardaway Jr. being the other big fish. While we can only wait and see how the new-look Heat pans out, there are still calls for Miami to make some roster changes.
Critics question whether the Heat has enough point guard depth to dethrone the New York Knicks or challenge the revamped Philadelphia 76ers. While the team has faith in starting point guard Davion Mitchell, his full-time backup is yet to be determined.
Miami Heat Urged to Move Former First Round Pick
Forward Nikola Jovic, the Heat’s No. 27 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, is one player who was often mentioned in Heat trade rumors in the offseason. Although Jovic escaped being traded over the summer, Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley advises Miami to move the 23-year-old forward now.
Then again, they need tangible talents and not theoretical contributions, so if Jović encounters another rough patch, maybe Miami concludes he’s just not ready to support this now Giannis Antetokounmpo-led group,” Buckley argued. “That’s assuming Jović even gets enough floor time to sink or swim, which is hardly a given when the 4 and 5 spots (where he has almost exclusively played) feature Antetokounmpo, Bam Adebayo, Bobby Portis, Nick Richards, Simone Fontecchio and (in spot minutes) Andrew Wiggins.”
Even if the Heat saw a few reasons to hang on to Jovic, Bailey believes moving Jovic would open the door for the Heat to potentially recoup some assets.
“The Heat also need trade chips, since they emptied their collection to get Giannis. Jović, who turned 23 in June, should still qualify as such given his age and flashes of unique offensive ability for a 6’10” forward,” Buckley wrote.
Miami Would Move Jovic If…
During the offseason, NBA insider Brett Siegel reported that the Heat considered trading Jovic before “ultimately decided against such a move.” Although Miami put a potential trade to bed, Heat insider Ira Winderman noted that the team would move Jovic if a deal brought back an impact player.
“I see this all as a work in progress. Remember, Myron Gardner only has a partial guarantee, so there remains a means to bring in two additional players for the start of the season, with a buyout market that might not be done yet, with the Aug. 29 “stretch” deadline looming,” Winderman wrote. “And, yes, do not rule out trades. The Heat can express all the hope they want with Nikola Jovic, but if the right deal comes along for the right player, this will all be about go-time.”
Winderman also highlighted that it is often not feasible to make all the big moves in one summer. Just because Jovic wasn’t traded — or the Heat didn’t go after the Kyrie Irvings of the world — doesn’t mean a major move can’t happen down the line.
“You can only do so much in a single offseason,” Winderman emphasized. “So for now, figure on a wait-and-see approach, knowing there remains the possibility of putting the Bobby Portis and Nikola Jovic salaries into a trade at some point should a significant backcourt upgrade come available.”
Miami Heat Pushed to Trade Former 1st-Round Pick After ‘Disappointing Season’