Riley's got to make this trade, doesn't he? He's 82 years old and watched four different East teams win the title in the past decade and none of them were Miami. He's dropped the ball chasing other big names recently and the team has been stuck in play-in mode for years. I'd be livid if I was a Heat fan and Giannis got away too.
I mean you can also say Stevens has to make the trade. The Bucks want to squeeze everything they can out of moving GA. The Celtics have the better package to offer, Riley has to work with what he has. Tyler Hero, yuk, I mean he is okay, but no one was talking about him being league MVP last year!! Let's be real, plus their pics are not great, especially future pics if they did land GA, future pics are poo poo! I think the Bucks are using Miami to squeeze More out of the Celtics!
Nah, Miami is definitely more desperate. Their main player asset is an expiring contract whom the Heat might not even like to extend. They have to do something this summer. The Celtics would like to do something, but there is not the same urgency. Even if Jaylen is asking out there are plenty of teams who would give up a fair bit for him. Giannis is the only star looking to force their way to Miami right now. He is is the only option.
Yeah Miami has whiffed on so many people in the past (Durant, Holiday, Lillard, etc.) and that fanbase is getting restless. I've also noticed online, a lot of Sixers and Heat fans are ticked that in the past decade, the Celtics, Raptors, Bucks and now Knicks have won it all (rivals) but not them.
If you look at the 2027 potential FA class too, most of those guys are likely signing extensions with their own teams, or the few that will be available would be past their prime (Butler, Curry, Kawhi). Maybe someone like Trae Young shakes loose but he's very likely signing an extension soon anyways. Mitchell maybe an option, but maybe not depending on if CLE re-signs him.
If they don't get Giannis this season either I'm not seeing a path for them to get to the playoffs unless they work magic in the offseason, but if they are building around Herro/Bam that's underwhelming in an East that is improving. Tatum/Brown is still better than the Heat, so there's that fallback for BOS.