The Heat should not have a "Giannis Antetokounmpo or bust" mentality for trades

There is more than one white whale in the NBA

Jan 17, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) looks up in the second half against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

The latest intel from The Athletic’s Sam Amick informs the public that NBA teams should be hesitant to make any moves that could affect their ammo, in case Giannis Antetokounmpo becomes available. The same reporting says that Miami is “often mentioned as a place Antetokounmpo would be amenable to landing.”

He’s a big-time player worthy of going all in for. Despite an undependable outside jumper, he will age well in the second half of his career due to his power advantage and being in world-class shape. But one can never be certain that o politikós will ever pull off the bandaid and leave Milwaukee. So, at least in the case of the Miami Heat, it should not be Antetokounmpo or bust.

There are two other star players who merit going all in on if they ever sour on their situations: Donovan Mitchell and Anthony Edwards. 

Neither are champions, but a raging desire burns inside them to change that. Consider that when evaluating traditional and advanced stats- points, assists, rebounds, effective field goal percentage, value over replacement player, win shares per 48- they are having the same impact on offense. 

They are good leaders, too. Sometimes the most respected voice in the locker room isn’t the best player, but oftentimes, it needs to be, and players at Mitchell and Edwards’ level carry extra cache when calling everyone to attention.

Shooting matters with age

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Mitchell will be 30 in September, and Edwards turns 25 in August. Both are high-level acrobats, dead-eye shooters and good playmakers, which makes them natural fits for the run-and-stun offense coach Erik Spoelstra has deployed this year. The deep shooting element will allow them to age gracefully when their athleticism fades. 

They would fit so perfectly next to an athletic big man like Bam Adebayo or Kel’el Ware because they reward the players who get them loose on screens. Since Adebayo has the tighter handle of Miami’s bigs, both guards would also be strong threats to run inverted screen rolls with him because of their great three-level scoring. 

Mitchell is the shorter man, listed at 6’ 2 on Basketball Reference, but he’s not a small guard because he has long arms and is built like a football player. The way he attacks the lane, he might as well be 6’ 6.

Yet, Edwards is the superior defender and has a more impressive playoff résumé, being the driving force behind Minnesota’s consecutive trips to the Western Conference Finals. Before he led them there in 2024, the last time they went was when Kevin Garnett won MVP in 2004. 

No one should be surprised if the Heat play the waiting/maybe game for Antetokounmpo, but things can change fast in the NBA, especially when desperation is high and playoff wounds are fresh. Aside from going all in on them, Mitchell and Edwards are good enough to justify changing the offense to their liking.

If the Heat don’t know that, another team does.