According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the Milwaukee Bucks have traded Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat. In exchange, the Heat have sent Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware, Kasparas Jakucioninis, three first-round picks, one pick swap, and one second-rounder to the Bucks. Bobby Portis is also heading to Miami in the deal.
Miami is shipping out unprotected picks in 2031 and 2033, as well as the No. 13 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The pick swap is in 2030, and the second-rounder is in 2033.
Charania reported that Boston was aggressive in its pursuit of Antetokounmpo. It reportedly offered Jaylen Brown and two first-round picks, but the Bucks ultimately chose Miami’s package.
For a while there, it felt like the trade was an enigma. A cosmic force that was destined to live in a secret space between reality and a parallel universe.
Antetokounmpo was never actually going to get traded, but would instead be constantly brought up in social media posts and placed in Photoshop graphics with different jerseys on.
But it’s done. Antetokounmpo is heading to South Beach. He’ll join Bam Adebayo, Andrew Wiggins, and Norman Powell (if the Heat re-sign him).
At the end of the day, the Heat gave up a haul. There was nothing the Celtics were going to give up — or, more aptly, were willing to give up — that could have matched that package.
Brown is the best player Milwaukee could have gotten in a trade. At least when looking at the Heat and Celtics’ rosters. And two firsts from Boston isn’t nothing.
But now, the Bucks can flip Herro in a separate deal (if they so choose), they have three other young (or young-ish) assets, and the keys to most of the Heat’s future. Brad Stevens seemingly wasn’t willing to go that far.
One interesting point is the absence of Hugo Gonzalez‘s name in Charania’s follow-up post detailing the Celtics’ final trade offer.
He was a name multiple reporters brought up as someone Milwaukee may have wanted in a deal. Was that the sticking point? Was Stevens’ desire to keep Gonzalez out of the trade what cost Boston Antetokounmpo?
Probably not. Even if Gonzalez were included in the trade, the Celtics’ potential package still wouldn’t have held up well against what Miami ultimately offered.
If that was actually the difference, then some questions need to be asked. But that seems highly unlikely.
That said, I am personally a huge fan of Gonzalez. I think he has the potential to be a long-term building block in Boston. He’s the type of two-way player who could be on a $25 million contract down the line.
Still, if he was the difference between Antetokounmpo and no Antetokounmpo, he’s someone you reluctantly include. But again, even his inclusion wouldn’t have matched Miami’s offer. It ended up including Jakucionis, who was supposedly a player the Heat didn’t want to have to give up.
© Benny Sieu
Jaylen Brown
But now that Antetokounmpo is a Heatle. Now that he and Adebayo will look to rule the Eastern Conference. Now that the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes is finally over. There are two very important questions to be asked.
One: What happens with Brown?
