Heat missed out on $375M two-time NBA champion, All-Star to pair with Giannis Antetokounmpo

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Heat missed out on $375M two-time NBA champion, All-Star to pair with Giannis Antetokounmpo image

Mar 12, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) drives to the basket against Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) during the first quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The Miami Heat have been very active this past summer with the players they have brought in. The Heat brought in some big-time names in an effort to chase a championship.

They let everyone know they were going all out this summer by trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo.

“The Milwaukee Bucks are trading franchise icon Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to the Miami Heat for Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round picks (including No. 13 in Tuesday's NBA draft), one pick swap and one second-round pick, sources told ESPN. The Heat are sending to Milwaukee unprotected first-rounders in 2031 and 2033 along with No. 13, a pick swap in 2030 and a 2033 second-rounder, according to sources," ESPN's Shams Charania wrote.

However, it turns out that Miami missed out on another NBA champion. The Heat had interest in Kawhi Leonard before he made it clear he wasn’t interested.

“As The Stein Line first reported in June, Leonard made it known amid interest from trade suitors such as Miami, Minnesota, Detroit that he would only be interested in signing an extension with the Raptors or San Antonio ,” The Stein Line’s Marc Stein wrote.

A trade for Leonard would have given Miami another major star alongside Antetokounmpo. Instead, he was traded to the Toronto Raptors.

“The trade sending Kawhi Leonard from the LA Clippers to Toronto has been made official after a monthslong delay due to the NBA's investigation into the Clippers for salary cap circumvention. The teams initially agreed to the deal on June 30, but it was paused while the league investigated allegations the Clippers violated salary cap rules in signing Leonard as a free agent," Charania wrote.

Imagine a roster with Leonard, Antetokounmpo, Thompson and Bam Adebayo. That would have been an intriguing top-four group, especially with the different ways each player could impact the game.

Leonard has made $375 million throughout his career. His defensive tenacity would have added another elite defensive presence alongside Antetokounmpo and Adebayo. Miami went all out this summer, but it still wasn’t enough to add Leonard.