The Miami Heat reportedly interested in making an offer for Milwaukee Bucks All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo that did not include Bam Adebayo. As the Heat enter their post-Jimmy Butler era in 2025-26 and continue to monitor a potential trade request from Antetokounmpo, could Miami pull off a deal without Adebayo?

The offer was most likely not taken seriously, but could be the potential structure of a future offer, accoridng to the Miami Herald's Barry Jackson.

“If Giannis Antetokounmpo had asked out, the Heat was prepared to make an offer that did not include Bam Adebayo, according to a source,” Jackson reported. “But it’s unlikely any such offer would have been seriously considered. If Antetokounmpo requests a trade at some point, it remains to be seen if the Heat would ever change its mind about offering Adebayo.

“But it’s unlikely that the Bucks star would want to join a Heat team without Adebayo, with whom he shares an agent. So it’s all likely moot.”

How the Bucks fare throughout the first half of the upcoming season should dictate how Antetokounmpo, who has been transparent about his feelings toward winning a title anywhere, feels about his future in Milwaukee. At the same time, the Heat will have to find its offensive continuity in their first full season without Butler since 2018-19.

How Heat offense must evolve in post-Jimmy Butler era

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Heat guard Norman Powell (24) reacts after scoring against the Milwaukee Bucks during the second quarter at Kaseya Center
Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

With Tyler Herro missing the start of the regular season, Norman Powell hopes to step up for the Heat as a focal point of their offense. Powell talked about the impact of playing alongside someone like Jimmy Butler and the ripple effect of how a team's offense evolves once that player has moved on, per the Miami Herald's Anthony Chiang.

“When you have a ball-dominant player like Jimmy, who was here, you have to play at his pace. It was working,” Jovic said, according to Chiang. “I know basketball in the NBA has transitioned to more transition basketball. But if you have a guy like that who can get you to the top with that pace, you have to play slow. This year, it’s just easier. You don’t have a guy who’s ball-dominant like that. So we just got to find a way to play faster.”

The Heat lost their second consecutive preseason game in a 126-118 defeat to the Magic on Saturday.