The Miami Heat have a new superstar at long last.
The Milwaukee Bucks traded Giannis Antetokounmpo, a two-time NBA MVP and the 2021 NBA Finals MVP, to the Heat in a deal that was finalized shortly before midnight on Monday, June 22.
It’s a blockbuster trade in every sense of the word. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Heat will receive Antetokounmpo and veteran Bobby Portis in exchange for Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round picks, one pick swap and a second-round pick.
With the move, the Heat instantly improve their standing in the East, and team president Pat Riley once again delivers a star player to Miami. Antetokounmpo also gets his wish. He had long been linked to Miami, and he and Heat captain Bam Adebayo share the same agent, Alex Saratsis.
Antetokounmpo averaged 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game, and leaves Milwaukee as one of the franchise greats in his 13 seasons with the team.
Antetokounmpo departs as the Bucks’ all-time leader in points (21,531), rebounds (8,882), assists (4,484), blocks (1,088), triple-doubles (56), games played (895), field goals (7,898) and field goal attempts (14,266).
He delivered an NBA championship to Milwaukee in 2021, after he carried the Bucks past the Phoenix Suns in six games. Antetokounmpo had maintained that he wanted to continue to compete for championships and had become frustrated with Milwaukee’s recent performance.
The Bucks finished the season 32-50, which ranked them 11th in the Eastern Conference, well below the top contending teams.
Eric J. Wallace is deputy sports editor for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at ejwallace@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Giannis Antetokounmpo traded to Miami Heat in blockbuster deal
Reporting by Eric J. Wallace, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
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By Eric J. Wallace, Palm Beach Post | USA TODAY Network
