After years of speculation, the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade finally went through. The Miami Heat, in the latest example of Pat Riley working his magic, brought in the two-time MVP into the mix.
Now, the trade has finally cleared, but question marks still plague the franchise about the rest of the roster. For a former three-time NBA champion, though, the makeup of the team isn’t strong enough for them to get to the playoffs, let alone be a championship contender.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Isn’t Enough for the Miami Heat
It seemed inevitable that the Greek Freak would find a new home in the NBA. Since the 2022-23 season, the Milwaukee Bucks haven’t made it past the first round in the postseason.
Finally, they pulled the trigger on June 22.
Getting Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware, Kasparas Jakučionis, Nate Ament, alongside the 2031 and 2033 first-round picks, a 2030 pick swap, and a 2033 second-round pick, the Bucks kick-started a complete reset for the team.
On the other hand, the Heat hope that pairing the former Defensive Player of the Year with Bam Adebayo will take them over the hump.
But Danny Green believes the roster is nowhere near enough to contend for a title.
“I’ll put them both 9,10. Miami 9, Milwaukee 10,” Green claimed regarding the Eastern Conference seeding next season during an appearance on the “No Fouls Given” podcast.
Explaining his rationale, he pointed to the obvious roster flaws.
“I respect them fully. They don’t have the pieces, bro. You have nobody on the wings that’s going to guard somebody. Who on the wings is going to guard somebody? Davion [Mitchell] is a small guard, but you got Wiggs [Andrew Wiggins], Tim [Hardaway Jr.], and Bradley Beal. It’s Wiggins, Tim, and Bradley Beal. Those are the three wings you have.”
The idea for the roster is currently based on the defensive upside of a frontcourt that has Antetokounmpo and Adebayo. But Green isn’t sure if that side of the ball is going to be enough, especially on the perimeter.
As one of the most elite 3-and-D wings of his time, Green can understand the nuances of perimeter defense better than most.
As a result, Miami’s problems may get much worse if they can’t figure out their defensive standing.
Already, the lack of shot creation and shooting on the roster is a major red flag for this unit. Even after adding a legitimate superstar, there is no guarantee of the success Miami could have this year.
