Giannis Antetokounmpo is a member of the Miami Heat, and now there is talk that his longtime running mate Khris Middleton could join him. Report from around the league suggest Miami is exploring the market for Middleton, and the fit makes too much sense to ignore.
The Bucks traded Giannis to Miami last month in a blockbuster deal that reshaped the East. Milwaukee is now in full rebuild mode, and Middleton is on an expiring contract. Miami has cap flexibility after moving several bench pieces. The pieces are all there.
Middleton is 34 years old, which is old for a wing. But he has proven throughout his career that he can still get buckets in big spots. In the 2021 Finals run with Giannis, Middleton was the closer. He hit dagger threes. He got to his mid-range spots. He was the reason Milwaukee won that title as much as anyone besides Giannis himself.
The Heat need shooting. Bam Adebayo can not stretch the floor. Tyler Herro is a scorer but not a knockdown three-point specialist. Adding Middleton next to Giannis gives Miami a legitimate second option who thrives in the pick-and-pop and can create in isolation when needed.
The financials would be tricky. Miami is close to the second apron. To bring in Middleton, they would need to move a contract like Duncan Robinson or find a way to sign Middleton to a discounted deal. Some reports suggest Middleton would take less to reunite with Giannis, but that is not confirmed.
Milwaukee’s front office has to decide what to do with Middleton. They can pay him and try to remain competitive around a rebuilt roster, or they can let him walk and start the rebuild in earnest. Neither option is great for the Bucks. The Giannis era is officially over.
The Heat’s Pat Riley loves veteran signings that come cheap. This is exactly the kind of move he pulls. Riley did it with Ray Allen. He did it with Shane Battier. He did it with Andre Iguodala. Now he could do it with Middleton.
The chemistry factor matters here too. Giannis has said publicly that Middleton is his best friend in basketball. The two spent over a decade together in Milwaukee. That kind of on-court partnership does not disappear. If Middleton signs in Miami, he immediately becomes Giannis’s closer again.
Erik Spoelstra loves versatile wings. Middleton can guard multiple positions when he is healthy. He can play alongside Herro or run the second unit. His playmaking is underrated. He can grab a rebound and push the break. All of that fits Miami’s system.
The competition here is unclear. A few contenders have expressed interest in Middleton, including the Nuggets and the Warriors. Denver wants shooting around Nikola Jokic. Golden State needs another wing next to Steph Curry. Both would give Middleton a chance to compete for a title.
But nothing beats the Giannis pitch. Middleton knows Giannis’s game. He has spent his career playing off Giannis’s gravity. Getting to do that again in Miami, with a coach like Spoelstra and a system built for winning, has to be tempting.
The Heat traded for Tim Hardaway Jr. earlier this offseason. He can help with shooting. But Middleton is a different level of player. He is the kind of guy who wins you a playoff game with a stepback three in the fourth quarter. Miami does not have that guy right now.
My prediction: Middleton signs with Miami. The friendship matters. The fit matters. The chance to run it back with Giannis matters. Expect a two-year deal at a reduced rate, with the second year being a player option. The Heat get a closer. Giannis gets his running mate. The East gets scarier.
If Milwaukee wanted to keep Middleton, they should have done it before trading Giannis. Now they have no leverage. Miami will get their man, and the reunion will be one of the best storylines of the season.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
