Erik Spoelstra urges players to ignore ‘a bunch of BS’ in trade rumors

With The Miami Heat have been linked to Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo before the Feb. 5 trade deadline, the team is still playing games amid all the hype. While it is rumors will continue to swirl around the Heat with the trade deadline looming, the head coach Erik Spoelstra talks about how the roster deals with buzz.

There’s no doubt that Miami will be heavily involved in the pursuit of Antetokounmpo, but as previously stated, the players on the team right now want to block out the noise and focus on their improvement on the court.

Spoelstra was asked before Wednesday’s game against the Orlando Magic about balancing the hustle going on around the team, with the coach stressing how “don’t give time” and to treat it like it’s “BS”.

“We don’t have time,” Spoelstra said as Miami went 3-2 on its latest five-game road trip. “You know, the veterans, they understand that a lot of it is just speculation. It’s just a bunch of BS, but that’s part of our job. That’s what we all sign up for. You’ve got to be professional all the way through. And the most important thing is that you have the opportunity right now. You know, of all these games ahead of us, it’s an opportunity to play well and improve.”

Erik Spoelstra asked about the trade deadline around the Heat (not mentioned, but obviously Giannis).

“We really don’t give time…it’s part of our job, it’s what we all sign up for…the most important thing is that we have the opportunity right now…” #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/e4KbOSt85u

— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) January 28, 2026

While a potential trade for Antetokounmpo would involve some players on the team, that’s more of a concern for the front office as Miami looks for consistency on the field, which has been their goal since a 14-7 start now approaching .500.

The Heat are “pushing hard” to trade Gianni Antetokounmpo

As it is Look for the Heat to gain positive momentum heading into the All-Star break, there’s no denying how closely the team will be watching Antetokounmpo until next Thursday’s trade deadline.

When attention was focused on Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant recently, that story largely died down with the latest news from ESPN’s Shams Charania that Antetokounmpo “ready for a new home” whether in or out of season.

“Two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is ready for a new home on February 5th NBA trade deadline or in the offseason as several rival teams make aggressive offers to the Milwaukee Bucks for him, and the franchise is starting to listen, league sources tell ESPN,” Charania wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

As Miami has been interested in the superstar for the longest time, their opportunity could come very soon, with Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reporting that Bucks heat to trade Antetokounmpo. In particular, Miami is one of the teams “pushing hard” to get a deal done before the Feb. 5 deadline.

“The Heat, Warriors and Toronto Raptors are among several franchises that have made a strong push to trade Antetokounmpo before the deadline, multiple league sources said,” Siegel said. “Trades are developing involving these teams, as well as the New York Knicks, that could be affected by Giannis’ decision.”

Either way, it remains to be seen when or if Antetokounmpo will be traded until next Thursday and if the Heat will be the lucky team to win the sweepstakes. It would be a move that could shake up the franchise tenfold as they look to avoid the eighth seed and playoff purgatory.