Home BASKETBALL NBA NBA Trade Grades: Giannis to Heat, Bucks Cash In on Picks

NBA Trade Grades: Giannis to Heat, Bucks Cash In on Picks

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Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis traded

Giannis joins the Heat as Herro returns home to Milwaukee. Breaking down the Bucks-Heat trade, contracts, stats, and what the draft picks mean for both teams.


Now Milwaukee shifts focus to developing young talent, with a haul of draft picks from...


The Milwaukee Bucks sent superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to the Miami Heat in a blockbuster trade on Monday.


In return, Milwaukee lands Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, the 13th pick in this year’s draft, two additional first-round picks, a pick swap, and a second-round pick.


Boston had been pushing hard for Giannis too, but Milwaukee ultimately chose Miami for the deal.


Even though 31-year-old Giannis never officially asked out, ESPN insiders say he and his agent discussed a possible trade with Bucks brass back in February.


Giannis has said before that he wanted to keep things respectful with Milwaukee. He felt going public with “I want a trade” would damage that relationship, so he preferred handling it privately.



Injury-hit season, massive contract

Giannis played just 36 games last year, a career low due to multiple injuries. He’s under contract for two more seasons in the trade, set to earn $58.4M this year and $62.7M next year without an extension.


Before last season, Giannis had never played fewer than 60 games in a year across his whole career.


“The Greek Freak” spent all 13 NBA seasons in Milwaukee. Over that run he built a resume that locks him in as a future Hall of Famer.
Drafted 15th overall in 2013, Giannis turned into a 10-time All-Star, 9-time All-NBA selection, 5-time All-Defensive Team pick, 2-time MVP, 2021 Finals MVP, 2020 Defensive Player of the Year, 2017 Most Improved Player, and a member of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.




He hasn’t averaged fewer than 27 points per game since 2017, and he placed top five in MVP voting seven years straight from 2018 to 2024. He’s also led the NBA in two-point field goals made per game for four consecutive seasons now.


31-year-old Portis heads to South Beach alongside his Bucks teammate of six years. Taken 22nd overall in the 2015 draft, he’s averaged 13.5+ points per game off Milwaukee’s bench for five straight seasons, which landed him top-three in Sixth Man of the Year voting in back-to-back years from 2022 to 2023.


Herro heads home to Milwaukee

Herro, 26, headlines the group going to the Bucks. The 2021-2022 Sixth Man of the Year and All-Star guard has averaged 20+ points per game for Miami in five straight seasons. 




Miami took him 13th overall in the 2019 Draft and he’s been there since. Now the Milwaukee native returns home with one year left on his $33M deal, barring an extension.


Ware, 22, is only entering year two. He averaged just over 11 points per game off Miami’s bench this past season, up from 9.3 points per game as a rookie.


Jaquez Jr., 25, isn’t much further along, wrapping up his third season with the Heat. He posted a career-best 15.7 points per game on 50.7% shooting across 75 games.


Jakucionis, 20, just finished his rookie year after Miami picked him 20th overall out of Lithuania in the 2025 Draft. He averaged 6.2 points in 17.8 minutes per game, but shot 42.3% from three.


Now Milwaukee shifts focus to developing young talent, with a haul of draft picks from the deal that includes the 13th pick when the draft tips off Tuesday.
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