Giannis Antetokounmpo. Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports

These bold trade proposals send Giannis Antetokounmpo, Trae Young to Heat

Originally posted on WI Sports Heroics | By Paolo Songco | Last updated 9/12/23

With the Miami Heat still unable to lure Damian Lillard to South Beach, one cannot help but ask if this chase will soon come to a fruitless end. At one point, Pat Riley and his front office will have to say that enough is enough as Portland remains adamant on its lofty asking price for its cornerstone superstar.

If and when the Heat decide to move on, Eddie Bitar of Fadeaway World believes that Miami should turn their attention to Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks.

At this point, Giannis is still loyal to the Bucks. However, this could all change in an instant given how the former back-to-back MVP himself stated that he will leave Milwaukee if his championship aspirations are not met in the near future.

In Bitar’s wild hypothetical scenario, Miami goes all-in on Giannis via a blockbuster trade deal:

Miami receives: Giannis Antetokounmpo

Milwaukee receives: Bam Adebayo, Caleb Martin, Nikola Jovic, Jaime Jaquez, 2028 first-round pick

Adebayo is one of the top big men in the NBA today, and you could see the Bucks building around him (and the other future-rich assets they get in this deal) for the foreseeable future. However, you have to ask if this will meet the Bucks' valuation for their superstar.

If the Heat, however, are able to pull off this massive deal, then there’s no doubt that they’re going to be one of the favorites to go all the way.

“Without a doubt, acquiring Giannis Antetokounmpo would be a transformative move that instantly makes them a top contender for an NBA championship. Giannis’ combination of offensive and defensive prowess, along with his versatility, would make the Heat a formidable force in the Eastern Conference alongside an elite scorer in [Trae Young] and another elite defender and leader in Butler,” Bitar wrote.

Yes, you read that right. Trae Young is indeed going to be part of the Miami Heat — at least in Bitar’s bonkers hypothetical scenario. Not only do the Heat trade for Giannis, but they also recruit Young from the Hawks in a separate deal:

Miami receives: Trae Young

Atlanta receives: Tyler Herro, Kyle Lowry, Orlando Robinson, 2029 first-round pick

Young has been linked to a move away from Atlanta for some time now, and this offer from the Heat could test the Hawks’ resolve on their All-Star point guard. After all, they get a former Sixth Man of the Year in this deal, as well as a future first-round pick.

The Heat, on the other hand, will be able to form a new Big Three that will be unlike anything we’ve seen in South Beach since the days of LeBron James. Giannis and Jimmy Butler will be an undeniably formidable duo, but with Young in the mix, Miami could be unbeatable.

This article first appeared on WI Sports Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: