As the NBA calendar flips toward the trade deadline, the rumor mill is heating up - and this time, it’s not just your typical mid-tier movement chatter. Two of the league’s most electric stars, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Ja Morant, are back in the headlines. And while their names have floated through trade speculation before, a recent comment from an NBA legend has added an unexpected twist to the conversation.
Former Kings point guard and NBA champion Jason Williams stirred the pot on the Hoopin’ N Hollerin’ podcast by dropping a bombshell: he believes both Antetokounmpo and Morant could end up in Miami.
“I think he and Ja Morant are going to end up in Miami,” Williams said, referring to Giannis. “I’m not sure how it works. Pat Riley gets it done.”
Now, that’s a bold take - and while Williams didn’t get into the mechanics, it’s worth breaking down what such a blockbuster would actually entail. Because while the idea of Giannis and Ja teaming up in South Beach sounds like something out of a video game, the path to making it happen is a financial and logistical maze.
Let’s start with Giannis. The Bucks have made it clear they’re not looking to move their two-time MVP, and his contract alone is a massive hurdle.
He’s earning $48.7 million this season and is on the books for about $54.1 million in 2025-26. That kind of salary doesn’t just slide into a cap sheet unnoticed - especially not for a team like Miami, which is already navigating the tightrope of the first tax apron.
To even begin a conversation for Giannis, the Heat would need to send out significant salary. That likely means parting with a key piece - think Tyler Herro, Bam Adebayo, or Andrew Wiggins - just to get in the ballpark.
But even that wouldn’t be enough. The Bucks would almost certainly demand draft capital as well, and a lot of it.
We’re talking multiple first-round picks, at minimum. Giannis isn’t just a star - he’s a franchise pillar, and Milwaukee won’t move him without a king’s ransom.
And that’s just one half of the equation.
Let’s say, hypothetically, Miami pulls it off. They land Giannis.
The fanbase erupts. South Beach is buzzing.
But then comes the second act: acquiring Ja Morant.
That’s where things get even trickier.
Morant, despite some ups and downs in recent seasons, remains one of the league’s most dynamic point guards - and he’s under contract for about $39.4 million next season. If Miami empties the asset chest for Giannis, what’s left to entice Memphis? The Heat would be low on both tradable contracts and draft picks, and while Morant’s stock may not be quite as high as it was a couple years ago, he’s still a valuable asset - especially as a potential backcourt running mate to Giannis.
It’s a tough needle to thread. The financial gymnastics alone are daunting, and the Heat would need to navigate not just salary-matching rules, but also the league’s increasingly restrictive cap penalties. And yet, this is the NBA - where the improbable has a way of becoming reality.
We’ve seen superteams form out of thin air before. We’ve seen stars force their way to preferred destinations. And we’ve seen Pat Riley pull off deals that seemed impossible on paper.
So, is a Giannis-and-Ja pairing in Miami likely? No.
But is it impossible? Not quite.
In a league where the next seismic shift is always just one phone call away, it’s a scenario worth keeping an eye on - even if it still feels more like a fantasy than a forecast.