Miami Heat Makes 2-Time NBA Champion The Plan B If Giannis Trade Fails

The Miami Heat has long been rumored to be aggressively pursuing Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks in the offseason. But if their initial plan to welcome Giannis in Miami does not happen, they have set a solid plan B for them. 

According to NBA insider Sam Amick of The Athletic, the Heat have set their eyes on two-time NBA champion Kawhi Leonard as their plan B, if ever the Giannis trade does not happen in their favor. 

“League sources also confirmed a report from NBA reporter Jake Fischer that the LA Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard is on the Heat’s Plan B list (or the Golden State Warriors’ Plan A list),” Amick reported.

However, Amick noted that no one in the league even knows if Leonard, who has been with the LA Clippers for seven years, would be available in the offseason. 

 “The issue around the league, however, is that no one seems to know if Leonard is truly available,” he said. 

The Heat has been regarded as the frontrunner in the Giannis deal. However, there have been reports of the Bucks not being fond of what the Heat are offering them in the trade talks. 

According to NBA reporter Evan Sidery, the Bucks are demanding that the Heat give up Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, the No. 13 pick, and a future first-rounder from Miami, while they would have to re-route guard Tyler Herro with a third team. 

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Miami Heat’s Chances of Getting Kawhi Leonard Hinge On Offseason Decision

The Miami Heat could be monitoring Kawhi Leonard’s contract situation with the LA Clippers this offseason. 

According to NBA insider Tim MacMahon, Leonard’s future with the Clippers hinges on whether the team can sign him on a team-friendly contract. If not, they would be exploring the possibility of trading him to another team, like the Heat. 

“My understanding is if there’s going to be an extension there’s going to be some legitimate negotiations,” MacMahon said in the Hoops Collective podcast. “This isn’t just, ‘can you take a little haircut?’ He’s going to have to take a pay cut, I believe, to extending with the Clippers.” 

“So, we’ll see. I think it’s extend him with a pay cut or explore the trade market. I think those are the two real options,” he said. “And obviously with this youth movement, they’ve positioned themselves to where hey, if it’s explore the trade market, they’ve already kind of started the post-Kawhi transition despite the fact that they still have some picks that they owe.”The 

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Clippers Have Yet To Make Kawhi Leonard Available For Other Teams

The Clippers, however, have been deeply hesitant to trade Leonard because of Clippers owner Steve Ballmer’s desire to retain him. 

Other reports indicated that Ballmer has been adamant about giving up Leonard to another team, including the Golden State Warriors, whose squad inquired about the two-time NBA champion’s availability. 

Another issue is the NBA’s ongoing investigation into the Clippers and Leonard’s salary cap circumvention with a third-party company. 

For now, teams wait for the resolution of the issue before deciding on Leonard’s future.

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