With the NBA’s moratorium period officially over, the Milwaukee Bucks have finalized their trade to send franchise icon Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat, along with fan favorite and former “Mayor of Milwaukee” Bobby Portis. Due to first-apron restrictions, with Miami hard-capped at the first apron after using more than 100% of the traded-player exception, this trade couldn’t be completed until today, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
All three Bucks owners, Wes Edens, Jimmy Haslam, and Jamie Dinan, issued a statement in the team’s official announcement of the trade, expressing how much Giannis meant to the team and the city at large. Bucks general manager Jon Horst, who has known Antetokounmpo since he was drafted back in 2013, also reflected on the move:
“This was an incredibly difficult decision, made for what is best for the future of the Bucks and for Giannis. On a personal level, Giannis and I have shared this entire journey together, and he has been an exceptional partner, friend and inspiration. All of us at the Bucks have been impacted by his presence and influence and are deeply grateful for everything he and his family have given. We wish them continued success and are excited to see them soon.”
Horst also mentioned Portis, the other Bucks staple included in this trade:
“From the moment Bobby arrived, he embraced what it means to be a Buck and quickly became a fan favorite through his passion, competitiveness and unwavering commitment to winning. Bobby played a vital role in helping our franchise capture the 2021 NBA Championship, and his performance throughout that historic playoff run will forever be part of Bucks history.”
Regarding the deal itself, somewhat surprisingly nothing has changed from what Shams Charania first reported. The Bucks are still receiving a package of Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, Nate Ament (courtesy of the 13th overall pick in this year’s draft), a 2030 first-round pick swap, two unprotected first-round picks (2031 and 2033), and a 2033 second-round pick. In his statement, Horst emphasized his enthusiasm for the four newest members of the Bucks:
“We’re excited to welcome Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez and Kasparas Jakucionis to Bucks basketball. Each brings talent, versatility, competitiveness and a team-first mentality that builds our culture and identity.
We’re confident in the foundation we’re establishing under Coach Jenkins and excited about the opportunities ahead. Our team will compete, play together and get better.”
According to reports, the Bucks had been looking to trade Herro, with Marc Stein and Jake Fischer stating that they were already in talks with the Detroit Pistons in the immediate aftermath of the reported trade. They can still trade Herro; they couldn’t reroute him as part of this initial deal.
It’s hard to believe that the Giannis era in Milwaukee is now officially over. How fortunate we were to have 13 years of watching a skinny Greek kid turn into one of the greatest players the league has ever seen. Giannis finishes his Bucks tenure as the franchise’s all-time leader in points (21,531), rebounds (8,882), assists (4,484), blocks (1,088), and several other major statistical markers. His impact on the franchise is something we’ll likely never see again. And for this, we are forever grateful.
For more of our thoughts on the trade, check out Episode 247 of Deer Diaries, where Jack Trehearne, Finn Kuehl, and I look back on Giannis’ career in Milwaukee.
As things stand, the Bucks now oficially have 16 players on standard contracts after they waived Pete Nance on Friday and signed former second-round pick Bogoljub Markovic. They also filled out their final two-way slot after signing former Marquette Golden Eagle Kam Jones on Saturday. Milwaukee can carry up to 21 players through the offseason, and only needs to trim the roster to 15 standard contracts by opening night. The only player who still needs to be signed is the 13th overall pick, Nate Ament.
Now that this trade is official, what are your final thoughts? Let us know in the comments!
