Heat Proposed to Land Jrue Holiday Alongside Giannis in Major 3-Team Trade

The Miami Heat has its superstar in place. Now maybe go and get him a beloved teammate? 

Antetokounmpo has arrived in Miami, and the Heat have some quality talent around him. But many would contend the team is still a quality piece or two away from challenging the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference. 

As we enter August, Miami’s potential targets include Bradley Beal, DeMar DeRozan and Klay Thompson, with Thompson emerging at the Heat’s top priority. With the franchise already exploring a veteran star addition, it might make sense to call up the Portland Trail Blazers about Jrue Holiday. 

Trade Idea Sends Jrue Holiday to Miami Heat

GettyPORTLAND, OREGON – OCTOBER 22: Jrue Holiday #5 of the Portland Trail Blazers looks on against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Moda Center on October 22, 2025 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

Five years ago, Holiday and Antetokounmpo steered the Bucks to their first-ever NBA championship. It was Antetokounmpo’s interior dominance and Holiday savvy that brought the Larry O’Brien trophy to Wisconsin. 

In a hypothetical trade scenario, the Heat engage the Blazers and Charlotte Hornets to discuss a three-team framework revolving around Holiday, a two-time champion.

Heat receive: Jrue Holiday and two second round picks from Charlotte.

Blazers receive: Nikola Jovic and two second round picks from Miami.

Hornets receive: Davion Mitchell from Miami. 

It is important to reiterate that this trade is entirely hypothetical and intended for some fun debate, not to stir emotions.

This trade could ultimately prove to be a winning scenario for all teams. The Heat would land Holiday, a proven Antetokounmpo teammate, and a serious backcourt upgrade. Although he is 36, Holiday’s winning pedigree speaks for itself. Holiday was an enormous contributor to two championship teams in the last five years, most recently for the Boston Celtics in 2024. Later that summer, Holiday played a key role in the United States securing the gold medal in the Paris Olympics.

For the Blazers, they have a logjam in the backcourt. Moving Holiday would allow the newly-acquired Ja Morant to better find his role in the lineup alongside fellow guards Damian Lillard, Shaedon Sharpe and Scoot Henderson. Perhaps more importantly, Portland would shave roughly $18 million in payroll and would generate $35 million of apron space. For a young team building for the future, that is unspeakably pivotal.

Meanwhile, the Blazers would land a starting-caliber guard in Mitchell, an elite on-ball defender and 3-point shooter.

Holiday and One More Piece Might Make All the Difference for Miami

A career 16 point per game scorer, Holiday is a unique talent that provides a little bit of everything. He’s pushing his late 30s and isn’t the pestering on-ball defender he once was, but his impact on winning is so glaring. 

If the Heat land Holiday and a star free agent like DeRozan, that might be enough firepower to make the team a legitimate contender for the East crown, though the top-end teams will be quite a challenge to knock off. It’s no denying the conference has gotten better this offseason. 

The Heat continues to monitor DeRozan and Thompson, the 36-year-old Dallas Mavericks guard who still has one year remaining on his contract. According to reports, Miami is hoping Thompson, a five-time All-Star, reaches a buyout with the Mavs this offseason. 

Miami is banking on experienced talent. There is no longer much youth to speak of. Would a lineup of Holiday, Andrew Wiggins, Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis and Bam Adebayo scare the top teams in the East? 

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