Heat predicted to part ways with $62M former first-rounder after adding Giannis Antetokounmpo originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The Miami Heat have quickly become one of the scariest teams to face in just one summer. The Heat have added some potential future Hall of Famers in the same offseason, so that is pretty successful.

Miami has only gotten stronger alongside the contending teams in the Eastern Conference. It all started with trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo in a blockbuster deal.

“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.

With all the moves Miami has made, the team may have to trade a player. Heavy.com’s Sean Deveney believes Miami will move on from former first-round draft pick Nikola Jovic.

“Nikola Jovic. (Remaining contract: four years, $62 million.) There is trepidation about trading for Jovic, who is certainly available and is still only 23 years old. But the remaining contract is a hefty bite for teams to take,” Deveney wrote.

Jovic has become a big key for the Heat. The interesting thing about this is his contract, but the Heat just did that before the start of last season.

“Forward Nikola Jovic agreed to a four-year, $62.4 million rookie contract extension with the Miami Heat, agents Jeff Schwartz, Sean Kennedy and Jared Mucha of Excel Sports Management told ESPN’s Shams Charania on Wednesday night. The contract is fully guaranteed,” ESPN wrote.

Jovic is a versatile six-foot-ten power forward with guard skills, so he is very valuable. The former first-rounder would be a great pickup for anyone who would be willing to acquire him.

Miami is set to give Antetokounmpo an extension at some point this coming season. If a trade is needed to free up space for the Heat, it looks like Jovic could be the odd man out.

More NBA news:

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• LeBron James’ $4M 76ers contract has Warriors’ Draymond Green shutting down ‘misconception’

• Raptors get promising timeline update for Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard trade after a lengthy holdup

• Pistons’ Jalen Duren gets $190M eye-popping contract offer amid everlasting summer stalemate