Giannis to Miami: Winners, Losers, and Whys

After almost a year of anticipation and drama, Giannis Antetokounmpo will now be part of the Miami Heat. 

This was the team that Giannis wanted. It was reported that he was also agreeable to sign an extension with the Boston Celtics and even the Minnesota Timberwolves, so the decision fell entirely on the Milwaukee Bucks. They chose the Heat package over the Celtics’ offer centered on Jaylen Brown. 

Does this mean all’s well that ends well? In every trade, there are always winners and losers, and some collateral damage. 

Winners - Miami Heat

The Miami Heat are winners. Not too obvious, but the team was rudderless at this point. Where were they supposed to go? They had Bam Adebayo and not much else. They had promising young players, but not exactly game changers. They could add more of these through the 13th overall pick, but it is unlikely to move them from a play-in team to a certified contender. 

Pat Riley recently had an uncharacteristic chain of strikeouts in his pursuit of big names. Now, he can end with a triumph. The Greek Freak is still a top 5 player when healthy, the kind of player you spend decades praying for. When you get one, you win. And you still kept the best player on your roster, who incidentally scored 82 points in a random game. 

Losers, Somewhat - Milwaukee Bucks

Years ago, there were rumors that Miami would trade Bam Adebayo and draft pieces for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Now, they are together. 

Milwaukee gets Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Kasparas Jakucionis (an actual point of contention!) and the following draft picks: 13th overall this year, 2031 and 2033 unprotected first round picks. There are also pick swaps in between (but Miami may likely be the better team so that would probably be moot). 

Losing a generational player without getting at least an All-NBA level player back is a loss, but not so much now. Last summer would have been the best time to make the trade, but they hesitated. Now, this is the best they can do. 

It seems strange for some that the Bucks actually passed on a second team All-NBA, former Finals MVP.

Collateral Damage - Jaylen Brown

Jaylen Brown took over the Boston Celtics after Jayson Tatum’s devastating Achilles injury. Instead of having a “down year” he led the Celtics to playoff contention, albeit a first round exit. 

Still, he proved himself worthy of alpha status, reminiscent of 1994 Scottie Pippen when Michael Jordan retired. It was a remarkable feat, and what was his reward? He gets shopped. 

Boston’s JJ tandem was supposed to be the ideal pair: both are equipped with the skills for today’s game, and at times, you get confused on who’s better. They got two Finals appearances and one title. No Shaq-Kobe like controversies, they were boringly successful and efficient. But all good things come to an end. 

Brown was always in trade rumors, but after this trade cycle, any hope that he could be the 1A and not Tatum was squashed. This is Tatum’s team, and if he wanted to lead his own team, it’s somewhere else.

Why Not Jaylen?

Jaylen Brown is better than Bam, the player the Heat didn’t offer. So why did the Bucks pass on the Celtics’ package?

Firstly, the Bucks would end up in the same position they were in before: having one star with a weak supporting cast. That won’t take them anywhere. And Giannis is even much better than Jaylen. They will have the same dilemma, but a lot harder. (Jaylen doesn’t have three brothers you have to sign, though). 

Second, the Bucks accepted their fate as a rebuilding team. Nothing more. Taking Jaylen puts pressure on fan expectations. 

Third, there is a market for both Herro and Ware if they want to flip them. The Pistons and Lakers respectively, had interest. The Bucks don’t need to rush, and could have an open roster to work with. Thus, they aren’t real “losers” anymore. 

Will Jaylen Brown become the new disgruntled star trade target? Despite all the “business, not personal” talk, it will be an awkward training camp in Bean Town.