Could the Heat bring Duncan Robinson back in a Deal for Giannis Antetokounmpo?

It was only a year ago that Duncan Robinson was traded to Detroit in a sign-and-trade for Simone Fontecchio. Now, in the present, the Miami Heat are in the mix for Giannis Antetokounmpo, a trade that would likely include multiple teams, one of which is the Detroit Pistons.

The Pistons are rumored to have interest in the Miami Heat’s star guard Tyler Herro, and they would have to match the salary they take in to be eligible to make a deal. Some combination of Ducnan Robinson, Isaiah Stewart, Caris LeVert, and Paul Reed, would make the deal legal.

Why Miami Should Bring Him Back

The all-time Miami Heat leader in three-pointers made would be a perfect fit for a team led by Giannis and Bam Adebayo. The talks about Miami acquiring Giannis have gone straight to, who will score? Bring Duncan back, who had a career year in Detroit and that problem is solved, at least partially (the roster would still need more pieces).

The dribble hand offs, Duncan’s cutting ability, his three-point prowess, it would instantly make Miami’s offense more dangerous and would give them the opportunity to decide on retaining Norman Powell, or using the money tied up to him for other players.

Duncan Robinson had a Net on/off of +10.4 and was huge to Detroit’s success this past season. When Robinson was on the floor, the Pistons were better, simply put.

What This Means for a Deal

Because Detroit originally acquired Duncan Robinson via sign-and-trade, he is legally barred from returning to Miami during the current league year. For a multi-team blockbuster to bring both Robinson and Giannis Antetokounmpo to South Beach, the trade must be agreed to in principle now, but held until the new league year opens on July 1st.

This timing works perfectly for draft assets, allowing Miami to select at No. 13 on Milwaukee’s behalf. Furthermore, a July 1st execution date becomes mandatory if Nikola Jovic is involved due to his poison-pill restriction, and it opens the door to an even larger framework if Andrew Wiggins opts into his player option or Norman Powell enters the mix as a sign-and-trade candidate.

Duncan Robinson averaged 18 points per game in the second round of this year’s playoffs and shot an incredible 58.8% from three.

Acquiring Giannis is step one for the Miami Heat, but filling out the roster is equally as important as depth wins, especially late in the year.

Bringing back Duncan Robinson is a real possibility, and it would be a huge win for the Miami Heat.