ASK IRA: Is another round of Heat-Giannis talk now unavoidable?
Q: Ira, here is your responsibility: No matter what Giannis Antetokounmpo does or the Bucks say, do not start writing again about how the Heat can get him. Imagine how all our young players feel hearing their names over and over as they try to play for Erik Spoelstra. – Thomas.
A: And yet it’s hard to ignore when an elite player again is at odds with his team (this time over potentially sitting out the balance of the season against his wishes), and when said player was at the heart of very real trade deliberations at February’s trade deadline. Now, whether one believes the Heat had enough to make an offer before or would have enough now is another story. As far as Heat players such as Kel’el Ware, Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr.
, Kasparas Jakucionis or others on the roster being put through the rumor mill amid the playoff race, put on your big-boy pants and do your job. The reality is that with Norman Powell an impending free agent, and with Andrew Wiggins the same (if he bypasses his player option), the Heat will have less salary flexibility after the season in a Giannis Antetokounmpo package than in February. And as far as the possibility of the Heat having four first-round picks to deal come June (including one in June that would be used to make a selection for another team), that is illusory, since the fourth of those picks would have to be conditional and no one is taking a conditional pick when they instead could get the real thing.
Still, if Giannis potentially could be on the move, then the Heat will listen and the talk will resume, for the umpteenth time. Deal with it. Of course, when is the last time a superstar player said, “I really hope to land with a play-in team”?
Just saying. Related Articles Submit your “Ask Ira” question here! Q: Tyler Herro and Norman Powell are both subpar defenders and having them both on the floor makes scoring too easy for the other team.