Giannis Antetokounmpo is taking his talents to South Beach.
As reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Milwaukee Bucks have agreed to trade their franchise cornerstone and Bobby Portis to the Miami Heat for Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis and three first-round picks (No. 13 in Tuesday’s NBA Draft and future selections in 2031 and 2033).
Miami will also surrender a pick swap in 2030 and a second-round pick in 2033.
Antetokounmpo, 31, is expected to sign a long-term extension with the Heat.
Ultimately a third team wasn’t required for Miami to swing the deal for Antetokounmpo, who was also sought after by the Boston Celtics. Boston president Brad Stevens offered a package that included 2024 NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown as well as two future first-round picks, according to Charania.
The Bucks-Heat deal is expected to be finalized on July 6, leaving open the possibility of some minor tweaks in the coming days.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is expected to sign a long-term extension with the Miami Heat
Miami will send guard Tyler Herro to Milwaukee, where he will be part of a new youth wave
Antetokounmpo hinted as his departure from Milwaukee earlier in the day with a cryptic social media post.
‘GOD,’ he began, ‘I trusted you at the beginning, and I will continue to trust you throughout.’
The post includes a black-and-white photo of Antetokounmpo with his back towards the camera as he walks away in the opposite direction.
Naturally, many of the Greek Freak’s followers took his post as something of a farewell.
‘We had a good run,’ one Bucks fan wrote while sharing a photo of Antetokounmpo from 2021, when he led Milwaukee to a title.
‘Thank you for inspiring me and so many others,’ another fan added. ‘You’re my basketball GOAT.’
Following Shaquille O’Neal, LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Jimmy Butler, Antetokounmpo is the latest big-name pickup of Heat president Pat Riley’s decorated tenure in Miami.
