Milwaukee Bucks Trade Giannis Antetokounmpo To Miami Heat In Blockbuster Deal

MILWAUKEE, WI — The Milwaukee Bucks traded Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat on Monday night, ending a 13-year run in Wisconsin for the franchise's greatest player and setting the Bucks on a path toward rebuilding.

ESPN's Shams Charania first reported the deal, which was finalized on the eve of the 2026 NBA Draft.

Milwaukee sent Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to Miami in exchange for All-Star guard Tyler Herro, center Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round picks, one pick swap and one second-round selection.

One of the three first-round picks is the No. 13 selection in Tuesday night's draft.

The Boston Celtics were also considered a finalist in the sweepstakes, with reports indicating Boston offered a package centered around multi-time All-Star Jaylen Brown and multiple first-round picks.

Ultimately, the Bucks chose Miami's combination of cost-controlled players and significant draft capital.

Antetokounmpo, 30, is a two-time MVP and 10-time All-Star who led Milwaukee to its first NBA title in 50 years in 2021. The Bucks went 32-50 in the 2025-26 season, finishing 11th in the Eastern Conference, with Antetokounmpo appearing in just 36 games due to injuries.

Tensions between the star and the franchise had been building for more than a year. The Bucks waived injured guard Damian Lillard using the stretch provision last offseason and signed Myles Turner to an $107 million contract, a move that drew scrutiny, though it freed up salary flexibility. The moves failed to reverse the team's slide.

In Miami, Antetokounmpo will join a frontcourt alongside Bam Adebayo. He will be eligible to sign a four-year, $275 million supermax extension beginning Oct. 1, 2026. If he does not sign an extension, he could become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2027.

The deal is considered one of the largest trades in NBA history.