Giannis Antetokounmpo has been traded from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Miami Heat. The blockbuster deal was confirmed by several sources late Monday night.
In the trade, the Heat receive Antetokounmpo and forward Bobby Portis. In return, the Bucks acquire Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, along with three first-round draft picks, a pick swap, and a second-round pick, as reported by ESPN.
Before the trade announcement, Antetokounmpo posted a message on social media expressing faith. He wrote, “GOD, I trusted you at the beginning, and I will continue to trust you throughout,” indicating his awareness and acceptance of the impending change.
The forward has played a significant role in the Bucks’ success, notably contributing to their NBA Finals victory in 2021. However, tension between him and the team had been escalating, setting the stage for this move to Miami.
Throughout his 13-year career, Antetokounmpo has won two MVP awards, been named Defensive Player of the Year, and earned spots on the All-NBA first team for seven consecutive seasons. In the recent 2025-26 season, he averaged 27.6 points per game. For the preceding three seasons, his average was above 30.4 points per game.
Antetokounmpo joins Heat players Bam Adebayo and potentially Norman Powell in Miami’s top trio. Adebayo averaged 20.1 points per game last year and scored a remarkable 83 points against the Bucks on March 11. Powell, approaching free agency, led the Heat with an average of 21.7 points per game as the team ended the season with a 43-39 record, missing the playoffs.
In contrast, the Bucks had a disappointing season, finishing 32-50. Antetokounmpo was restricted to only 36 games, the fewest in his career, playing an average of 28.9 minutes per game, the lowest since his rookie year.
Antetokounmpo seeks to revitalize his career in Miami, a team that last won a championship in 2013.