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Giannis Antetokounmpo traded to Heat in blockbuster deal with Bucks
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- Giannis Antetokounmpo traded to Heat in blockbuster deal with Bucks
Giannis Antetokounmpo , finally, has a new home.
The Milwaukee Bucks have agreed to trade Antetokounmpo, a two-time NBA MVP and 10-time All-Star, and Bobby Portis to the Miami Heat in a massive blockbuster deal Monday, June 22, moving one of the elite players in the league – when healthy – two people with direct knowledge of the matter confirmed to USA TODAY Sports. The people spoke under the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly comment on the deal.
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In return, the Bucks will receive Tyler Herro , Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr. , Kasparas Jakučionis, three first-round picks, a second-round selection and a pick swap, as they look to rebuild for the future after Antetokounmpo delivered a championship during the 2021 NBA Finals.
The trade cannot be executed until July 6 at 12:01 p.m. ET, which is the start of the new league year. Because of that, this trade could expand to include more teams and players, and the Heat will need to make the selection at No. 13 Tuesday night on behalf of Milwaukee.
But with this move, the Heat instantly improve their standing in the East, and team president Pat Riley once again delivers a star player to Miami. Antetokounmpo also gets his wish. He had long been linked to Miami, and he and Heat captain Bam Adebayo share the same agent, Alex Saratsis.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) reacts after scoring a basket in the 3rd quarter against the Chicago Bulls on Nov. 7, 2025.
The Heat started the 2025-26 season hot as they revamped their offense to focus on speed, pace and fastbreak offense, but opposing teams deployed more zone and full-court pressure to slow the Heat considerably.
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Miami struggled to gain traction and faded in the second half of the season, eventually losing in the Play-In Tournament to miss the postseason for the first time in six seasons.
Antetokounmpo, however, fits Miami's philosophy perfectly. Blessed with incredible size and length at 6-foot-11, and elite athleticism, Antetokounmpo is arguably the best transition scorer in the NBA. By pairing him with Adebayo, an NBA All-Defensive second-team selection, the Heat now have formidable height, defensive versatility and rim protection, which will be invaluable in the East.
In many ways, this move is a direct maneuver to compete against teams like the Knicks , Celtics , Pacers and Cavaliers in the East. And after the fan base had clamored for Riley and the front office to take a big swing to land a star, this trade appeases those who had started to wonder if maybe it was time for Riley to step down.
This comes after months of speculation that Antetokounmpo, 31, was seeking a new home. Antetokounmpo was the big name constantly mentioned prior to the 2026 NBA trading deadline in February, as the Bucks weighed interest in the star. The constant rumor prompted both the Bucks and Antetokounmpo to repeatedly address his future in Milwaukee.
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For example, a Jan. 28 report indicated that Antetokounmpo was ready for a new home , either before the trading deadline, or in the offseason. Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam, however, indicated earlier in May that he expected resolution concerning Antetokounmpo's future before the NBA draft.
Antetokounmpo, however, played only 36 games this season after he dealt with multiple calf injuries that sidelined him for extended stretches of the campaign. Shortly after Milwaukee's season ended without the Bucks making the playoffs, Doc Rivers stepped down as head coach , and the team eventually hired former Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins in late April.
Antetokounmpo averaged 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game, and leaves Milwaukee as one of the franchise greats in his 13 seasons with the team.
Antetokounmpo departs as the Bucks' all-time leader in points (21,531), rebounds (8,882), assists (4,484), blocks (1,088), triple-doubles (56), games played (895), field goals (7,898) and field goal attempts (14,266).
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He delivered an NBA championship to Milwaukee in 2021, after he carried the Bucks past the Phoenix Suns in six games. Antetokounmpo had maintained that he wanted to continue to compete for championships and had become frustrated with Milwaukee's recent performance.
The Bucks finished the season 32-50, which ranked them 11th in the Eastern Conference, well below the top contending teams.
With their additions of Herro, Ware, Jaquez and Jakučionis, Milwaukee now has a young core of lower-cost players to build around. The Bucks also stashed up on significant draft capital, which will allow the team to be aggressive in adding young talent in the coming years, especially considering the recent reform to the NBA draft lottery .
The Bucks faced an uncertain future with Antetokounmpo set to enter the final season of his contract in 2026-27. Antetokounmpo does have a $62.8 million player option for 2027-28, but Milwaukee faced the prospect of losing Antetokounmpo without recouping any assets, given that he and his representatives had indicated to Bucks management that he was not planning on signing a long-term extension with the franchise.
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Giannis Antetokounmpo trade details
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Heat receive:Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis (via TPE)
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Bucks receive:Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Kasparas Jakučionis, Jaime Jaquez Jr., 2026 first-round pick (No. 13 overall), 2031 unprotected first-round pick, 2033 unprotected first-round pick, 2030 first-round pick swap, 2033 second-round pick.
Miami Heat roster
The Heat's updated depth chart after trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis:
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Norman Powell (UFA)
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Andrew Wiggins (must exercise 2026-27 player option by Monday, June 29)
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Giannis Antetokounmpo
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Bam Adebayo
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Reserves:Bobby Portis, Dru Smith , Simone Fontecchio (UFA), Myron Gardner , Vladislav Goldin , Keshad Johnson (RFA), Nikola Jović, Trevor Keels (RFA), Pelle Larsson , Jahmir Young .
UFA: unrestricted free agentRFA: restricted free agent
Giannis Antetokounmpo contract details
Giannis is owed $58.5 million in 2026-27 and has a $62.8 million player option for the 2027-28 campaign. He will be eligible to sign an extension with Miami on Jan. 6.
Bucks owner Jimmy Haslam 'a driving force' in taking Miami's offer
According to Yahoo's Kevin O'Connor , Bucks owner Jimmy Haslam didn't want to risk Jaylen Brown wanting out of Milwaukee. In that regard, Miami's deal provided more certainty for the Bucks' owner.
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Giannis Antetokounmpo 2025-26 stats
Though he played just 36 games because of various injuries, Antetokounmpo averaged 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game this past season for Milwaukee. The Greek Freak shot a career-best 62.4% from the field, and his 34.4 points per 36 minutes ranked first in the NBA.
Heat cap space following Giannis trade
According to NBA salary cap analyst Yossi Gozlan, Miami is now hard-capped at the first apron. Assuming Andrew Wiggins opts in, the Heat will have $18.3 million in first apron cap space to fill out their roster.
What happens to Thanasis Antetokounmpo ?
Thanasis is a free agent and will be eligible to sign with any team. Miami would seem like a logical destination after trading for his brother.
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How old is Giannis Antetokounmpo?
Giannis is 31 years old. He turns 32 on Dec. 6.
Giannis trade grades
Read the full breakdown from USA TODAY Sports' Lorenzo Reyes.
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Milwaukee Bucks —The draft capital is where this deal can really pay dividends for Milwaukee. Now, the Bucks just need to hit on those picks. Grade: A-
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Miami Heat —The Heat were never going to compete with the roster they had. Miami needs to add shooting, but it now has the defensive ability to compete with the conference's best teams. Grade: B+
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Boston Celtics —The Celtics don't like to have their business or their intentions aired out in the open like this. And, ultimately, failing to land Antetokounmpo goes down as a failure. Grade: D
Will Bucks trade Tyler Herro?
According to The Athletic , Milwaukee is evaluating its options with Herro, including keeping him or rerouting him to another team.
What Giannis Antetokounmpo trade means for Bucks
Our Kristie Ackert broke down what the blockbuster trade means for Milwaukee. You can read that here .
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Giannis Antetokounmpo goes to Heat in league-shaking blockbuster trade
