Giannis Antetokounmpo's 13-season run in Milwaukee is coming to an end, and the Bucks have settled on trading him to the Miami Heat in the first blockbuster trade just as the 2026 NBA Draft is starting.
After intense negotiations, the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat were reported to have emerged as the two finalists, with the deal being solidified hours before the NBA Draft.
As part of the deal, per reporting from Shams Charania for ESPN, the two-time MVP and Bobby Portis will head to Miami in exchange for Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware, and Kasparas Jakucionis. The Bucks will also have the No. 13 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, a first-round swap in 2030, first-round picks in 2031 and ’33, and a second-round pick in 2033.
The massive deal with the basketball superstar arrives after the Heat went 43-39 last season, since then searching for a franchise centerpiece since dealing Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors. The Heat have been trying to get a superstar player like Antetokounmpo for years, and the deal is expected to be officially executed by the teams on July 6.
Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam publicly called the draft "the natural time" for resolution, setting Tuesday as a self-imposed deadline.
"If Giannis does play somewhere else, then we ought to get a lot of assets," Haslam said. The trade and Thanasis Antetokounmpo’s status as a free agent mean that not a single player from the Bucks’ 2021 title-winning team remains in Milwaukee.
In 895 games as a Buck, Antetokounmpo accumulated 21,531 points, 8,882 rebounds, 4,484 assists, and 1,088 blocks, and delivered the franchise its first championship in 50 years in 2021. The NBA Draft formally begins Tuesday (June 23) evening.
Needless to say, the news of the blockbuster trade has NBA fans on social media sharing their thoughts, especially with the Celtics missing out on the opportunity to bag the former Bucks star, and the potential for the deal to completely reshape Miami’s chances for the 2026-27 NBA season.
Check out some of the reactions to the trade below.
