Takeaways from Heat loss to Hawks, sparking more Giannis Antetokounmpo debates

The Miami Heat faced off against the Atlanta Hawks tonight in their final game prior to the trade deadline.

Tyler Herro, Norman Powell, and Andrew Wiggins were ruled out for this game, leaving a starting lineup of Davion Mitchell, Myron Gardner, Pelle Larsson, Simone Fontecchio, and Bam Adebayo.

The theme of the night wasn't about the current squad, as the 2006 championship Heat team was honored all night.

But let's discuss some partial game takeaways, before we take a detour to the big topic:

1. The Heat bigs struggle on way to ugly first half.

Feb 1, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) warms-up before the start of the game against the Chicago Bulls at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

As the Heat went into the half, they trailed 67-50 after a lackluster opening hlaf with some rough offense. Simply, the shooting was nonexistent across the board if it wasn't a transition opportunity. Bam Adebayo struggled to generate a rhythm, shooting 1 for 9 from the field in that first half. His back-up and young center Kel'el Ware came in to potentially shift the energy, and his eight minute stint wasn't much better. He shot 1 for 6 from the floor, as the team was as sloppy as it gets when they got two feet in the paint. Mixing rough perimeter shooting with inconsistent paint scoring from the two bigs: that means not great things to say the least.

2. One constant result when celebrating Heat history at the Kaseya Center.

Feb 3, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Former Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade holds the Larry O' Brien trophy during a ceremony to honor 20 years since they won their first NBA Championship during halftime at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images | Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

It was a big night for the history of the Miami Heat's franchise. The first ever champions for this organization, the 2006 team, were honored tonight 20 years after that Finals run. But there is something that is always consistent with these "celebratory" nights. From the Chris Bosh jersey retirement to the Udonis Haslem jersey retirement to the Dwyane Wade jersey retirement to Pat Riley's name being put on the hardwood: the result of those games seem to always end in a loss. This game was a different situation, as three starters were sidelined, but this list continues to expand as time goes on.

3. A Giannis Antetokounmpo debate.

Jan 23, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) walks from the court following the game against the Denver Nuggets at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

This game looked like a team being dragged across a finish line, while the finish line is Thursday's trade deadline. So on that note, this level of play doesn't deserve three takeaways. Watching Pelle Larsson and Jaime Jaquez Jr tonight, it does spark some debate. Who makes more sense to keep if cashing in assets for Giannis Antetokounmpo? With the way Jaquez demands the ball and relies to heavily on paint attacks, it doesn't feel like the cleanest fit. Larsson can plug in anywhere, as his two-way impact has shined all season. But the truth is this: the team needs change, and they need a superstar, meaning neither should be holding up a deal. Looking around the league right now, Antetokounmpo is the last real domino. You can't let this one slip away.