It finally happened.
After years of chasing the star they so desperately coveted, the Miami Heat have — finally — acquired two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks in a blockbuster trade, ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania first reported Monday, less than 24 hours before the 2026 NBA Draft.
Heading back to Milwaukee are Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round picks, one pick swap and one second-rounder.
As part of the deal, the Heat also acquired Bobby Portis.
The Heat acquired the two-time MVP over the Boston Celtics, who reportedly offered Jaylen Brown plus two first-round picks, according to Charania. The most interesting caveat to the deal is that it’s only two teams — though it could, theoretically, expand to multiple teams after the July 6 moratorium ends.
Including the No. 13 overall pick, the Heat’s first-round picks will be in 2031 and 2033, while the second-rounder will be in 2033, which they unlocked this summer. That means Miami will still have the No. 41 overall pick at its disposal Wednesday night … for now.
Antetokounmpo will be eligible to sign a four-year, $275 million deal with Miami in January. The 31-year-old is still an MVP-caliber player at his peak, averaging 30.6 points, 11.7 rebounds, 6.2 assists, one block and one steal over his previous three healthy seasons.
The 10-time All-Star missed 46 games with a calf injury last season. He still averaged 27.6 points across 36 games while setting career highs in field goal percentage and true-shooting percentage. But the lingering calf concerns are a sizable worry — although that’s a risk you’re willing to take for a player of his caliber.
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Pat pulled it off. Now he can retire.
is sm a bucks fan now?
no, I think Sun Man is a Giannis fan now
I think I my heart is big enough for both.
“Sources told ESPN that Antetokounmpo and his agent, Alex Saratsis, consistently informed the Bucks from May 2025 through last month that the franchise legend wanted a trade from the organization because he believed it was best for both sides to part ways. Antetokounmpo’s representatives informed the Bucks several times over the past 13 months — including before, during and after the season — that he would not sign another long-term extension with the team, according to sources. The Bucks made the decision to hold on to Antetokounmpo at every turn over the past year — before beginning to listen to aggressive offers at the February trade deadline.
Antetokounmpo and Saratsis stuck to their stance, trying to handle the trade as privately as possible, and received their wish of landing in one of Antetokounmpo’s preferred destinations.”
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/49149967/bucks-trading-giannis-antetokounmpo-bobby-portis-heat-tyler-herro-kelel-ware-jaime-jaquez-jr-kasparas-jakucionis-picks
So back to the kings of the play-in with the whale Riley has been trying to snag for years. Hibernating still….see y’all in October.
The Heat just added a dude that averages 30/12 while keeping Bam and Norm (who was an all-star last year). Don’t let the Northeast media BS you. The Heat are a contender in the East.
tony wilbon perkins all pushing greek to boston.get in the nice warmth of miami and be dazzled by the beauty of miami and all its hotties greek.but please dont go to so beach at night to much
Well, the injuries for GA are legit concern, spacing, and very little depth.
Please drop in periodically. As far as this trade, they should be very very good.
why hes bored with the playin kings and so was i till yesterday
Well, you are a fair weather fan as we know. Welcome back to the bandwagon.
what about the dolphins they start up in september.not a marlins fan?
As you may be aware, as the rumors floated about the Heat getting Giannis, another one was that if they did, LeBron might come on a veteran’s minimum to try to get that last ring.
no way lbj comes here rc .theyre hot for kelel look for that move
Ware is not going anywhere now that Bucks have him.
Hey SM, what’s your take on all this? I hope you’re not overly disappointed. You know I was going to accept either outcome, though I like building with youth. We gave up a fair amount, and I think fair is a key word. Getting Portis back helps, 6’9” 250 who can score. We kept Pelle. We can snag a decent player at 41. Do you get a backup center there or promote Vlad and maybe pick up a Josh Jefferson or Ugonna (I love that name) Onyenso? Obviously, health is the main concern. Besides being better and younger than Butler, the difference in their attitudes is night and day. Butler dogged the regular season – Giannis was upset with his coach for not letting him play at the end of the season, even though they were eliminated.
Good points. Please see my detailed post after the newest article.
NBA Trade Grades: Heat finally capture their whale, land Giannis Antetokounmpo
Sounds like everyone agrees the starting lineup is:
Giannis, Bam, Wiggins, Norm, Mitchell.
I think Pele is the only reliable bench player. I love Dru but he has a long injury history. Portis is getting old so he’s a maybe. Jovic has shown flashes but has never been consistent. Fonteccio is a free agent so who knows.
This is where the Skyforce pipeline becomes extra valuable. When the Heat were juggling minutes for a bunch of mid-first round picks, there was no room for the G-League guys. And you were never gonna land your next superstar via the G-League. But playoff guys like Max Struss and Duncan Robinson and Derrick Jones Jr all came through the Heat G-League pipeline. Bringing in a couple of those guys this season would really help the bench
there will be 2 vet ring chasers or friends of greek added pat has conveyed that to greek my sources are telliing me
Finally. Its all over. Riley will say, that thats was the plan for years, but I think that old man was a bit lucky.
I already said farewell to Ware, JJJ and Herro, but not to Kas, so it hurts… a lot. . But it would be the same if Giannis would land in Boston. So it is what it is. From now on, there should be smart team construction.
There is a lot of sense to resign at least one of Wiggins and Powell. There is probably not enough money for both. Which bring Simone as an cheaper option to start with Powell, Mitchell, Bam and Giannis. Thats dangerous starting lineup, which can defend.
That leaves Pelle, Jovic, Dru, Gardner, Portis on the bench.
Not ideal, but I can see that those players can fit together, that lineup defends well and could score just enough to be successful.
But we need 2-3 additional players, established vets. At least another center and a guard. .
who you do you think are the ‘established vets’ the Heat go after? I just looked at the list, it ain’t pretty. Maybe Brad Beal or Tim Haradaway Jr? Who do you like out there?
Hardaway Jr all day. The circle of culture would be complete.
PG: Davion Mitchell / Dru Smith
SG: Norman Powell / Pelle Larsson
SF: Andrew Wiggins / Keshad Johnson / Myron Gardner/Simone Fontecchio
PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo / Nikola Jović
C: Bam Adebayo / Bobby Portis / Vladislav Goldin
Hopefully some of them will improve their 3pt shooting so that they can be partnered with Bam and Giannis without sacrificing defense.
So looking at this line up. What should Heat get with their 41 pick?
I think the 41st pick will be splitting time with the a couple Skyforce guys
A 4/5 who can eat minutes in the regular season, injury insurance and reducing the minutes load and strain on Giannis and Portis in particular but also Bam.
Of course, I will absolutely be watching and rooting for the guys who are leaving. I believe all will be successful.
Yes especially Kas and Ware development.
I’m especially sad to see Jamie leaving
Besides the positive of having these 2 players, what I am really happy about is it is done and over with early. That gives the Heat the rest of the summer to sign ring chasers to vet minimum contracts.
anybody watching draft tomorrow lol.we got a 3 -4 year window in 2031 we have to start it over.the next years of watching heat basketball with e reid and my sidekick rc just got alot better.lgh
The #41 pick includes several players who would be decent backup centers.
I predict this will jolt Jovic out of his malaise and get him to be decent player.
thats not gonna happen send him to denver for disappointing cam johnson if salaries match.hes been given enough chances.kjs a better player.
That’s not gonna happen because you say so? You talk about other people here being negative. Bring back your star, Kyle Guy.
I’m rooting for Jovic. Others are down on him. I want to see him break out this year.
Portis is a career 39% 3p% and was an insane 45.6% this season.
I always hated Bobby Portis on other teams. I’ll probably love him on our team!
has a hockey team and a basketball team ever won champ same year.good chance could happen next year here.
Heat and Panthers both made the Finals in ’22. They’ve definitely gone opposite directions the past few years. Hopefully Giannis changes that
brady tkachuk giannis what a couple days for so fla
It could. The Panthers are like Bron, Wade and Bosh, clearly the best team. But, I think the Heat are real contenders now, depending on who they fill out with. If they somehow got Norm and Andrew back, and maybe one more valuable guy who comes team friendly to jump on the bandwagon, that could conceivably be a championship team.
i think weather and the beautiful international city of miami was def a factor in his decision.why else come to the heat.i go to downtown miami occasionally im blown away the beauty of the city now.around greeks house formerly known as dwades house
Downtown Miami is so much nicer than when we grew up. And believe it or not, probably a little safer.
we back baby!
f yes jeremy grant want a ring?he any good anymore.
nah he stinks.
If the Heat want to get someone of the Blazers scrap heap, they should get Anfernee Simons. Good ballhandler, passer, and microwave scorer. Not a great defender, but that’s what Dru and Mitchell are here for
hes too much $$$. believe he was a salary cap casualty for boston.need old vets that have made their bag but want jewelry.off injured robert williams made lots $$$ but no jewelry,need a couple ring chasers pat will find a few
Anfernee is a free agent so he can sign for mid-level. He’s gotten a hundred million bucks to play for crappy Portland or baskstabbing Boston. That dude will take a discount to backup Norm Powell and win a title
another thing if he went to boston hes not the alpha male has to share that with tatum .in miami hes the alpha its his team
All the Riley bashers should write him an apology letter!
dear pat thank u for making the heat relevant for 3 decades,u had a 2 year hiatus but your back better than ever.keep on gming until u want.from hhh
Kind of early to be thanking him for anything, other than not running it back again. I’ll reserve my apology until after next season. The truth is in the pudding.
Wow. Time to put everything else behind and wish the best for our team!
we have a realistic chance to get a parade.get a ring chaser or two resign wigg norm its there for the taking
Absolutely! Onward and upward!
we are now relevant this feels like lebron going to so beach
portis also fk yes wow wow wow in riley we trust lol
Big win, the holdup had to be about Kas
yeah they squeezed every inch out of riley what do u think of deal statman
It’s fair for both teams, Herro Ware Jaquez, Kas plus picks was the offer I expected. Heat also are helping Bucks shed salary by taking back Portis.
Bucks having #10 and #13 in this draft plus Jakucionis can be the start of a really good rebuild if they hit on the picks.
Consolidating Herro,Ware, Jaquez who all need extensions in the next 1-2 years for Giannis is a no brainer for Heat. Losing Kas hurts but that, #13, the two firsts and the swap is the price. Pelle was the most important player to keep and they did that.
portis on our timeline.heckuva player always played well versus us.i said few weeks ago if we got him instead of pj tucker i might have a ring on my finger.
I think in time, Ware and/or Jakucionis may prove to be better players than Pelle.
Ware maybe. I like Pelle better than everyone who went out, even Jaime. We did fabulous in this deal.
It’ll be interesting to watch KJ going forward. I think he’s tops out as a really good pack up pg