The Miami Heat reportedly had a trade proposal ready for Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo this past summer but there was one non-negotiable condition: Bam Adebayo was off the table.
According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, if Giannis had requested a trade, Miami was prepared to make an offer that did not include Bam Adebayo. However, Jackson added that it was unlikely any such offer would have been seriously considered by Milwaukee.
The news, first circulated by The Sporting News, highlights how aggressive and at times unrealistic the Heat have been in their ongoing search for another superstar.
Over the last few years, Miami has swung and missed on a number of big-name pursuits, including Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell, and Bradley Beal. Adding Giannis would have been the ultimate coup, but doing so without sacrificing Adebayo, their cornerstone defender and franchise leader in culture and stability, was always going to be a non-starter for Milwaukee.
Adebayo, 27, is coming off another All-Star season where he averaged 19.3 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 4.4 assists while remaining one of the league’s most versatile defenders.
The Heat view him as the spiritual successor to Udonis Haslem, a player who represents Miami’s ethos as much as he produces on the court. To Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra, Adebayo is untouchable.
That philosophy, however, might also be what’s holding Miami back from getting over the hump. The Heat finished 37–45 last season, crashing out in the first round of the playoffs after trading away Jimmy Butler at the deadline. Butler’s exit marked the end of the Heat’s Heatles 2.0 era, a gritty, overachieving squad that made two NBA Finals in four years and put the franchise back in superstar-hunting mode.
Giannis, a two-time MVP and 2021 champion, would have instantly changed their fortunes. But as ESPN’s Shams Charania revealed, the New York Knicks were the only team Giannis seriously considered joining outside of Milwaukee. The Bucks and Knicks held exploratory talks in August, though the discussions never gained traction.
Miami’s no-Bam stance likely wouldn’t have impressed the Bucks anyway. A trade package centered around players like Tyler Herro, Nikola Jović, and Kel’el Ware plus a few future picks doesn’t come close to Giannis’ value, especially when compared to potential offers from the Knicks or other suitors with deeper draft capital.
For now, Antetokounmpo remains in Milwaukee, and Miami’s focus shifts toward surviving a transitional season. Without Butler, the Heat are relying on Adebayo’s leadership, Herro’s scoring, and Spoelstra’s system to keep them competitive in the East.
Still, the Heat’s ambitions are clear. They’re keeping their financial flexibility intact for 2027 a potential superstar free-agent summer.
The message from Miami’s front office seems to be: they want another star, but not at the cost of their culture. And in that sense, Bam Adebayo remains more than a player; he’s the one piece the Heat simply refuse to sacrifice, even for Giannis.
