The Miami Heat were one of the 22 teams that were invited by the league to take part in the Orlando bubble. Nevertheless, this has not prevented team president Pat Riley from looking ahead beyond the current campaign. As it turns out, no less than league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers All-Star guard Victor Oladipo are two of the names the Heat are eyeing for in the 2021 offseason.
League insider Shams Charania broke the news recently on an appearance on a Complex Podcast.
“(The Heat) have made it known, ‘We are going to target free agents in that summer of 2021.' Not only Giannis, Victor Oladipo as well,” Charania said, via Sam Amico of SI.
Antetokounmpo currently has two more years on his current deal, and while he is expected to sign a max extension with the Bucks, nothing is set in stone just yet. Until the 25-year-old puts pen to paper, every team — including the Heat — will continue to operate under the premise that Giannis will enter free agency in 2021.
The same is the case for Oladipo, whose current four-year deal runs out by 2021. The 6-foot-4 guard is coming off a major knee injury, and has only played 13 unproductive games this season. Much like Giannis, the Pacers are expected to offer Oladipo an extension, but whether or not the two-time All-Star is willing to stay in Indiana is an altogether different matter.
The Heat will need to do a bit of maneuvering with their salary cap in order to accommodate the potential signing of either of the aforementioned stars — obviously more so for Antetokounmpo. Nevertheless, this is Riley's forte, and if there's anyone who can pull this off, then it's him.
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