The Miami Heat reportedly want to avoid taking on long-term money to maintain flexibility for the upcoming offseason where several superstars could become available, but not everyone in the NBA believes that will work out.
Earlier this month, the Heat were said to be interested in star guard Ja Morant, who has years left on his contract. ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst later described Miami’s interest in the Memphis Grizzlies star as “overrated.”
“The Miami Heat, in particular, have been overrated as a potential destination, sources said,” Bontemps and Windhorst wrote. “The Heat have focused on avoiding taking on cash for the 2027-28 offseason — a season in which, currently, [Giannis] Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic and Donovan Mitchell, among others, could all be unrestricted free agents.
“It is highly unlikely that the Heat would deviate from the plan to go after Morant, the sources said.”
While the Heat could end up making a push for All-NBA talent like Jokic, Mitchell or Antetokounmpo, there’s no guarantee the team will be able to lure one of those players to South Beach in free agency — or that any of those players will even hit the open market.
Antetokounmpo might be the most sensible target for the Heat, as he has been the subject of recent trade history with Milwaukee. The Bucks are struggling in the 2025-26 season. Still, it’s a strategy that has its flaws, which the GM pointed out without directly naming the Heat.
“Now Antetokounmpo said he won’t ask the Bucks to trade him,” Heavy Sports’ Sean Deveney wrote. “But he didn’t say he won’t hit free agency, which can come in 2027 if he opts out of the final year of his contract. Instead of piling up NBA trade rumors, the team (Miami Heat, reportedly) hopes to keep open space for Antetokounmpo’s pursuit after two summers. That’s not exactly.
“‘The days of free agency, cleaning out the books, LeBron James in 2010 and all that, it’s over,'” the GM said. “Good luck if that’s the plan, but saving space to sign someone? It just doesn’t work the same way anymore.”
The Heat can obviously reverse their plan at any time, especially since there’s a chance they could land Antetokounmpo in a trade for it. The Bucks could try to keep the star forward, but they risk losing him for nothing if he decides to test free agency.
If the two-time league MVP doesn’t commit to Milwaukee long-term with a contract extension, the club may have no choice but to trade him to restore value.
The Heat have landed big-time free agents in the past, and there’s no doubt that Pat Riley and the Heat organization can make a compelling case for top talent to play in South Beach, but free agency isn’t what it used to be in the NBA in terms of players hitting the open market.
For now, it appears the Heat will focus on working with their current core until they can land the big fish they desire.