Heat Rumors: MIA 'Won't Do Anything' to Jeopardize Giannis Antetokounmpo Pursuit

Any moves the Miami Heat make this offseason will reportedly be done with an eye toward pursuing Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo in the near future.

According to ESPN's Zach Lowe, the Heat have decided that they "won't do anything that jeopardizes their chances with Antetokounmpo."

Lowe noted that Miami has interest in re-signing Goran Dragic and Jae Crowder, as well as signing All-Star center Bam Adebayo to a contract extension. The Heat may wait until next offseason to extend Adebayo, though, since it would allow them to maximize the salary-cap space they would need to sign Giannis.

Antetokounmpo is set to enter the final year of his contract in 2020-21, and if he decides to test the market, he would be one of the biggest prizes in the history of NBA free agency.

One factor that could help the Heat when it comes to wooing Giannis is the fact that his agent, Alex Saratsis of Octagon, is also Adebayo's agent.

Provided the Heat can find enough money to make both Giannis and Adebayo happy, perhaps the Saratsis clients would be interested in teaming up to form an Eastern Conference superpower.

Giannis and the Bucks entered the 2019-20 season as the favorites to represent the East in the NBA Finals after posting an NBA-best record of 60-22. The Bucks had the NBA's best record again last season at 56-17, but playoff success eluded them once more.

After falling to the Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2018-19, the Bucks were eliminated by the Heat in the second round of the playoffs last season.

If Giannis takes a if-you-can't-beat-'em-join-'em approach, then the Heat make plenty of sense as a landing spot.

Even without Antetokounmpo, the reigning two-time NBA MVP, the Heat reached the most recent NBA Finals on the strength of All-Stars Jimmy Butler and Adebayo, plus a supporting cast that included Dragic, Tyler Herro, Kendrick Nunn and others.

The Heat took two games from the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2020 NBA Finals, and adding a player of Giannis' caliber could be what they need in order to create a dynasty.

While Antetokounmpo has enjoyed individual and team success with the Bucks during the regular season, they have not put a team around him capable of winning when the games matter most.

Perhaps that will change in 2020-21 and Giannis will be compelled to re-sign with Milwaukee, but if he decides he can't win championships there, Miami likely gives him the best opportunity to win multiple titles.