- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,170,063
- Reaction score
- 59
You must be registered for see images attach
Giannis Antetokounmpo is heading to the Miami Heat in a late-night blockbuster deal on the eve of the NBA Draft. The Antetokounmpo trade sweepstakes included weeks of speculation and was the main storyline of the offseason thus far. ESPN’s Shams Charania was the first to report the move. The Celtics were a finalist for the two-time MVP, but the Heat land Antetokounmpo instead.
Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis are headed to the Heat. In exchange, the Bucks landed Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kasparas Jakucionis, Charania reports. The Bucks also got three first-round picks, including the 13th pick in Tuesday’s draft, one first-round pick swap in 2030 and a 2033 second-round selection. The other first-round picks are unprotected in 2031 and 2033.
Antetokounmpo was expected to be traded from Milwaukee this offseason, and now he’s onto Miami. The trade shifts the East significantly — especially because he didn’t end up on the Celtics. Boston’s offer included Jaylen Brown and other assets, but it wasn’t enough to land Antetokounmpo. A source tells MassLive that Boston included Jaylen Brown and multiple first-round picks.
The Bucks made several aggressive moves over the past few years to continue competing with Antetokounmpo. However, the team fell out of the playoff picture this season, leading to a disgruntled Antetokounmpo. That set the stage for the former MVP to finally be available on the trade market after Milwaukee initially fielded offers for him during February’s trade deadline.
The Heat were considered frontrunners for Antetokounmpo this summer. The Celtics were also another team to watch in the trade rumors. While other teams were interested in Antetokounmpo, the Bucks star had some leverage in his trade negotiations. He could signal which teams he would sign a long-term extension with, which included both the Celtics and Heat.
Antetokounmpo ends his Milwaukee tenure as an all-time great. He earned two MVPs, made 10 All-Star teams and led the franchise to the 2021 NBA championship as the 2021 NBA Finals MVP. Antetokounmpo now joins a team that has sky-high expectations for as long as he’s on the roster after the blockbuster deal.
More Celtics content
- Celtics face Jaylen Brown questions after missing on Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Potential Celtics center target traded in 3-team deal
- 3 realistic Celtics trade offers for Giannis Antetokounmpo blockbuster deal
- Potential Giannis Antetokounmpo trade piece pushes back on ‘Giannis tax’ moniker
Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Continue reading...
