The Miami Heat’s rough opening has already put the spotlight on their biggest offseason swing, and now the early noise is turning into trade chatter.
Miami has opened the 2026-27 season with just two wins in its first six games, and the biggest concern so far has been the fit between Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo. Antetokounmpo has looked like himself, putting up 27.6 points, 11.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game. Adebayo, meanwhile, has been inconsistent enough that he’s taken most of the heat from fans and media during the first week of the season.
That’s the backdrop for comments from former NBA star Matt Barnes on a recent episode of ALL THE SMOKE: Unplugged, where he floated the possibility that Miami could eventually move Adebayo if the pairing doesn’t work.
“I’d be interested to see if, if this plan doesn’t go as they thought it would, Giannis leaves or they trade Bam and keep him," Barnes said. "You’d get some stuff for Bam.
I don’t think you need a ton. I think they need some youth on the wing.
Are the [New York] Knicks praying it doesn’t go well in Miami, KAT doesn’t get the extension and Giannis doesn’t sign the extension, and they just swap those two centerpieces?”
A move involving Antetokounmpo still feels far-fetched after Miami gave up Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kasparas Jakucionis to land him this summer. At this point, he looks like the most untouchable player on the roster.
Adebayo is the more plausible name to watch. He’s been one of the Heat’s most reliable pieces over the past eight seasons, but if the on-court connection with Antetokounmpo never clicks, Miami could eventually decide a change is needed.
The Boston Celtics and Knicks have both been mentioned before as possible landing spots. Boston has cycled through options at center since winning the 2024 NBA Finals with Kristaps Porzingis, using Neemias Queta, Al Horford and even Nikola Vucevic, who faded late last season and barely played in their playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Celtics also signed Mitchell Robinson this offseason, but if the chance came to pair Jayson Tatum with Adebayo, it’s the kind of move Boston might struggle to ignore.
Barnes also pointed to a more distant possibility involving the Knicks and Karl-Anthony Towns, who is currently quietly undergoing a contract dispute with the defending champions.
For now, talking about trading either of Miami’s two stars feels extreme. But the NBA has already shown how quickly these things can shift, and an Adebayo deal would not be impossible if the Heat’s rocky start keeps going.
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