Jaime Jaquez Jr vs Pelle Larsson: Who should the Miami Heat keep out of a Giannis trade?

As the Miami Heat walked into training camp in Boca to begin the season, there were two names that were being pinned up against one another for rotation time: Jaime Jaquez Jr and Pelle Larsson.

Jaquez Jr was coming off a rough sophomore season with the hope of a potential bounce back, while Larsson's stock was rising into his second year after an active off-season involving Summer League and Euro Basket.

That in-house competition didn't last for long, as both young players have emerged as vital pieces of this rotation: Jaquez Jr entering sixth man of the year conversations and Larsson becoming a starting lineup staple.

But fast forward to present day, and it seems they could be pinned against one another yet again.

As the trade deadline approaches and the Giannis Antetokounmpo rumors continue to swirl, it's clear that the Miami Heat roster could be heading toward some reshaping.

Names from Tyler Herro to Kel'el Ware to Andrew Wiggins could be on the move in this scenario, while some sweetners are discussed along the way.

Two potential sweetners would be Jaquez Jr or Larsson, and it leaves this question: who would Miami prioritize if this type of move was made?

If the depth of this Heat team looked depleted by the end of it, having Jaquez Jr's scoring off the bench would be huge for the outlook of this group.

The downhill attacking of Antetokounmpo, Adebayo, Jaquez Jr, and even Davion Mitchell would mean a whole lot of paint points for this group, as the focus would need to adjust quickly to the shooting department.

But if we're being realistic, I would believe Jaquez Jr would be an enticing young chip for Milwaukee if these discussions progressed.

And to be honest, I think Miami would value Larsson a bit more when it comes to the fit of the new look roster.

Zach Lowe full breakdown on why the Miami Heat are the most interesting team for Giannis 👀

“Starting 5 would be Mitchell, Powell, Larsson, Giannis, and Bam. They share the same agents and are great basketball players and they would make a fit work better than on paper… Big… pic.twitter.com/NCurJGCWUk
— Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) January 29, 2026

If you were to attain a number one option at the level of Antetokounmpo, the type of players that you would have to surround him with are Larsson-like.

Doesn't need the ball in his hands, gritty defensively, and knocks down an open spot-up three.

I believe Larsson is gaining some steam in the public light as other teams begin to understand his impact after matching up with him, but it still doesn't seem he holds the same value that Jaquez Jr does publicly.

It's being framed that if a move like this was made, it would be an insane skeleton crew with just Antetokounmpo and Adebayo looking around an empty room.

But if guys like Larsson and Mitchell are still around, while Norman Powell most likely stays put, I'd say that's a pretty decent starting point in this potential reshuffle.