One of the biggest trades in NBA history was agreed overnight, as the Milwaukee Bucks decided to send franchise cornerstone Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to the Miami Heat. In return, Milwaukee will receive Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round draft picks, one pick swap and an additional second-round pick. Among the picks heading to the Bucks is the No. 13 selection in the upcoming draft, plus unprotected first-rounders in 2031 and 2033.
The deal is set to become official on July 6, and for now it does not include any other teams, though both clubs left open the possibility of expanding it before completion. For Miami president Pat Riley, it is another major move in a long career. Antetokounmpo joins a star-studded list of players who have played for the Heat, including LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal, Chris Bosh and Jimmy Butler, and he is expected to pair with center Bam Adebayo as Miami tries to return to the top of the East and the league.
Milwaukee is getting a substantial package of young players and future assets. Herro, a 2025 All-Star, returns to the area where he grew up, while Jaquez finished second in last season's voting for Sixth Man of the Year. Ware, 22, and Jakucionis, 20, are considered high-upside prospects.
According to ESPN, Miami won the bidding over the Boston Celtics, who offered Jayson Brown and two first-round picks. The Bucks ultimately preferred the Heat's offer because it gave them more flexibility and a stronger long-term rebuild base. Portland Trail Blazers, where Israeli guard Deni Avdija plays, had also been mentioned recently as a possible destination. The move ends more than a year of tension between Antetokounmpo and the only NBA team he had ever played for, after sources told ESPN that as early as May 2025 he and his agent told Milwaukee they wanted a split because they no longer believed the team could contend for a title. Drafted by Milwaukee in 2013, the 31-year-old leaves after 13 seasons with two MVP awards, 10 All-Star selections and the 2021 championship, the Bucks' first in 50 years. Despite injuries limiting him to 36 games last season, he still averaged 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists. Miami, which finished 10th in the East and was eliminated in the play-in tournament, is signaling that it is back in the championship race.
