First piece of Heat’s reported Giannis Antetokounmpo trade falls into place at NBA Draft

Miami Heat fans and the NBA world are still waiting for the biggest part of the story to become official.

But one significant piece of the puzzle was publicly acknowledged on NBA Draft night.

After the Heat selected Tennessee forward Nate Ament with the No. 13 overall pick, NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced that Ament’s draft rights are expected to be moved to the Milwaukee Bucks as part of a trade to be finalized at a later date. The Heat then posted on social media that Ament’s draft rights were being routed to the Bucks.

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— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) June 24, 2026

That does not officially complete the reported blockbuster trade involving Giannis Antetokounmpo, but it does represent the first public step toward what could become one of the biggest moves in franchise history.

Miami has been linked to Antetokounmpo for years, and multiple reports have indicated the Heat have been working toward a deal that would finally bring the two-time MVP to South Florida.

Now, the waiting game continues.

Because of NBA trade rules and timing surrounding draft-night transactions, deals involving newly selected players are often announced onstage before becoming finalized. For now, what is confirmed is that Miami’s No. 13 selection is headed to Milwaukee.

If the larger reported deal is indeed completed, it would represent the type of franchise-altering swing Pat Riley and the Heat front office have been searching for.

Antetokounmpo would immediately change Miami’s trajectory.

The Heat have been searching for another elite talent to pair with Bam Adebayo and push the organization back into championship contention since trading away Jimmy Butler III. Despite deep playoff runs built around development, coaching and Heat Culture, Miami has consistently been connected to superstar opportunities around the league but ultimately whiffing on the likes of Damian Lillard and Kevin Durant.

This would be the biggest one yet.

A potential Adebayo-Antetokounmpo frontcourt would give Erik Spoelstra two of the league’s most versatile defenders while adding the downhill offensive pressure Miami has lacked.

For Milwaukee, adding Ament provides a young lottery talent as the organization potentially prepares for a new direction.

The Heat and Bucks still need to finalize the complete details before anything becomes official.

But after months of speculation, rumors and questions about whether Miami could actually pull off a move of this magnitude, NBA Draft night provided the clearest indication yet that something significant is underway.