Worldwide Sports News

Because Adam Silver’s NBA is a crazy place that makes little sense, the draft is now a two-day event with the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft set for Tuesday.

Most assume this will be an all-time draft with a slew of top prospects at the top of the big board. All four of Cam Boozer, AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Caleb Wilson are considered worthy of the No. 1 pick. Even after that, the draft has plenty of prospects who can come in and immediately be impactful players.

It’s a good year, then, for the Lakers to have a first round pick. After finishing with a matching record with the Knicks, LA lost a coin flip and hold the No. 25 pick.

A lot of players have been mocked to the Lakers with that pick, ranging from Jayden Quaintance more recently to a player like Henri Veesaar.

The Lakers are known to be a bit unpredictable at the draft, though, so it’s hard to project what happens. What we do know is the draft order, which is listed below.

2026 NBA Draft

First Round

1. Washington
2. Utah
3. Memphis
4. Chicago
5. LA Clippers (from Indiana)
6. Brooklyn
7. Sacramento
8. Atlanta (from New Orleans)
9. Dallas
10. Milwaukee
11. Golden State
12. Oklahoma City (from LA Clippers)
13. Milwaukee (from Miami)
14. Charlotte
15. Chicago (from Portland)
16. Memphis (from Phoenix via Orlando)
17. Oklahoma City (from Philadelphia)
18. Charlotte (from Orlando via Phoenix)
19. Toronto
20. San Antonio (from Atlanta)
21. Detroit (from Minnesota)
22. Philadelphia (from Houston via Oklahoma City)
23. Atlanta (from Cleveland)
24. New York
25. Los Angeles Lakers
26. Denver
27. Boston
28. Minnesota (from Detroit)
29. Cleveland (from San Antonio via Atlanta)
30. Dallas (from Oklahoma City via Washington and Philadelphia)

Second Round

31. New York (from Washington via Oklahoma City and Houston)
32. Memphis (from Indiana via Milwaukee)
33. Brooklyn
34. Sacramento
35. San Antonio (from Utah via Minnesota)
36. LA Clippers (from Memphis via Atlanta and Utah)
37. Oklahoma City (from Dallas)
38. Chicago (from New Orleans via Boston, Detroit, and Portland)
39. Houston (from Chicago via Washington)
40. Boston (from Milwaukee via Orlando)
41. Miami (from Golden State via Charlotte, New York, Oklahoma City, and Atlanta)
42. San Antonio (from Portland via New Orleans)
43. Brooklyn (from LA Clippers via Houston)
44. San Antonio (from Miami via Indiana)
45. Sacramento (from Charlotte via San Antonio, Atlanta, and New York)
46. Orlando
47. Phoenix (from Philadelphia via Houston and Oklahoma City)
48. Dallas (from Phoenix via Washington)
49. Denver (from Atlanta via Brooklyn and Golden State)
50. Toronto
51. Washington (from Minnesota via Detroit and New York)
52. LA Clippers (from Cleveland)
53. Houston
54. Golden State (from Los Angeles Lakers via Toronto, Miami, and Cleveland)
55. New York
56. Chicago (from Denver via Minnesota, Phoenix, Charlotte, and Phoenix)
57. Atlanta (from Boston)
58. New Orleans (from Detroit via New York, Brooklyn, Phoenix, Orlando, and LA Clippers)
59. Minnesota (from San Antonio via Indiana)
60. Washington (from Oklahoma City via San Antonio and Miami)

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

The Celtics weren’t able to land Giannis Antetokounmpo to pair with Jayson Tatum, as the Bucks’ superstar was dealt to the Heat late Monday night in exchange for a package headlined by Tyler Herro and a plethora of draft picks.

But it wasn’t for a lack of a compelling package.

Boston offered star Jaylen Brown and two first-rounders to the Bucks in an effort to land the two-time MVP and 10-time All-Star, according to ESPN.

The presence of Brown would’ve allowed Milwaukee — who won the title with Antetokounmpo in 2021 but has been sucked into years of sagas and trade scenarios since — to be more competitive in the present, but the Bucks instead opted for the return that brought “more flexibility and big-picture approach with controlled contracts and long-term competitiveness,” according to ESPN.

Brown, a five-time All-Star who helped the Celtics win the 2024 title and averaged 28.7 points last season, addressed the trade rumors earlier Monday on Twitch, saying, “To all the people that’s doubted me, that want me to do this, or want me [traded], you’re turning me into a monster,” Brown said on the stream.

For most of last season, as Tatum recovered from a torn Achilles, Brown got an opportunity to be the face of the Celtics, to be the focal point of the offense, to be the one — alone — in the spotlight instead of sharing it with another superstar.

Instead, the Celtics were the finalist that lost out on the generational talent, who now instantly turns Miami back into an Eastern Conference contender even with Tyler Herro going back to Milwaukee and the Heat coming off a 2025-26 season where they missed the playoffs altogether.

Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, the No. 13 pick in this year’s draft, a 2033 second-round pick and a pick swap in 2030 all went back to the Bucks, too, according to ESPN.

Bobby Portis was shipped to Miami alongside Antetokounmpo.

And now, with Antetokounmpo no longer an option and a major shake-up to their core no longer a realistic scenario, the Celtics will need to rely on Brown and Tatum again after a disappointing first-round exit in the postseason.

The Giannis Antetokounmpo trade saga is officially over.

The two-time MVP and 2021 NBA champion has been traded by the Milwaukee Bucks to the Miami Heat in exchange for Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round picks (including No. 13 in Tuesday's NBA Draft), a 2030 pick swap, and a 2033 second-rounder, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.

The deal will be executed on July 6, allowing for opportunities to expand the deal, Charania notes.

Antetokounmpo, who'll turn 32 in December, had spent his entire 13-year career with the Bucks after being drafted with the No. 15 pick in the 2013 NBA Draft.

The Knicks had long been rumored as a team interested in acquiring the superstar, and even had cursory talks with Milwaukee in August of 2025, but they did not reach an advanced level, per SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley. It was noted that Antetokounmpo had singled out New York as "the only place" he wanted to play outside of Milwaukee with hopes of winning a title.

Trade rumors picked up again in January as it was reported the 10-time All-Star was "ready for a new home" ahead of the trade deadline or in the offseason. The Knicks were "among teams making aggressive offers” for him at the time, along with the Heat, but Milwaukee held on to him through the remainder of the regular season.

Of course, and despite the odds, the Knicks were able to accomplish the goal of winning the franchise's first NBA title since 1973 without him on June 13.

Buzz picked up again in recent days after the NBA Finals that the Boston Celtics and Heat were viewed as the frontrunners to land Antetokounmpo, with both teams on his list of preferred destinations. Miami president Pat Riley found a way to get it done late Monday night, besting the Celtics' offer of Jaylen Brown and two first-round picks, per Charania.

The Giannis Antetokounmpo era is over for the Milwaukee Bucks. After years of resisting trade overtures for their franchise star, the Bucks finally agreed to deal the two-time MVP as he enters the final year of his contract.

The Miami Heat have acquired Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis from the Bucks in exchange for Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, and the No. 13 overall pick in the 2026 draft, unprotected first-rounders in 2031 and 2033, a first-round pick swap in 2030, and a 2033 second-rounder, according to ESPN insider Shams Charania. The Bucks chose this offer over a package from the Boston Celtics headlined by Jaylen Brown.

The Bucks finally decided to accept reality that they couldn’t build another championship team around Giannis. The Heat finally landed a new superstar after years of coming up just short in trade offers. The trade that the entire league was waiting for finally happened. Let’s grade this deal for both sides.

Heat trade grade for Giannis Antetokounmpo deal

It’s hard to believe the Heat are the only team in the NBA to make multiple appearances in the NBA Finals during the 2020s. Miami lost in the first round of the playoffs in the two years following its shocking 2023 Finals run as a No. 8 seed, and last season the Heat missed the playoffs completely for the first time since 2019.

The Heat had gone as far as they could with their current roster. They badly needed a star, and they found one who actually wants to be there. This was reportedly Giannis’ preferred landing spot, and it’s likely he signs a long-term contract extension there before the season begins.

Giannis is still one of the best players in the NBA when he’s healthy. He’s a dominant rim attacker, a terrifying transition threat, a sharp passer, and one of the league’s scariest help defenders who now gets to roam next to an elite defensive center in Bam Adebayo. Health has been his biggest issue in recent years. His body seems to break down around the playoffs every year, and it’s why the Bucks made three straight first-round playoff exits before missing the postseason entirely this past season. He turns 32 years old in December.

The Heat don’t have much left after this trade. Adebayo and Antetokounmpo might be the NBA’s best front line, but there are a lot of questions after that. Norman Powell is an unrestricted free agent. Andrew Wiggins has a $30 million player option. The best guard currently under contract for next season is either Davion Mitchell or Pelle Larsson. The point is, the Heat have a lot of work to do to build a contending team around Giannis and Bam after this year. Still, finding stars is the hard part, and Miami has landed one of the best if he can stay healthy.

There’s a lot of risk here if Giannis’ continues to break down after they sign him to an extension. The reality is the Heat didn’t have a better path forward. Miami had been stuck in the middle for years. They refused to tank. Making an all-in push for Giannis felt like their only way out, but the pressure is on in a big way now to quickly transform this roster with compelling role players. The Heat are typically the best organization in the league at development diamonds in the rough. Erik Spoelstra is a living legend as head coach. Let’s see if they can do it again.

Heat grade: B+

Bucks trade grade for Giannis Antetokounmpo deal

Giannis really should have been a one-team superstar like Dirk Nowitzki and Kobe Bryant, but the Bucks’ grand plans to build around him went bust. Milwaukee’s bold trade for Damian Lillard didn’t work out like they hoped, and it left the franchise without any other assets for future moves. The divorce between Giannis and the Bucks happened in slow motion, but it feels like the best move for both sides.

This feels like the best possible trade return for the Bucks even if it’s a tad underwhelming compared to recent deals for inferior players like Desmond Bane, Mikal Bridges, and Rudy Gobert. The Bucks got quite a bit here given that Giannis only had one more season left on his contract. Landing a second lottery pick in a good draft is nice work. Miami’s unprotected picks in 2031 and 2033 as Giannis enters his late-30s could be juicy.

It really feels like the Bucks squeezed the Heat for the best possible offer. The 2030 pick swap is a nice inclusion. Getting Kasparas Jakucionis, a first-round pick last season, is a worthy flier for the backcourt. Herro is a Milwaukee native and one of the better scoring guards in the league, but he doesn’t really fit the Bucks’ timeline now. I’d bet Herro gets flipped before the season, and the Bucks get even more assets back to help with their rebuild.

I have always loved Kel’el Ware’s raw talent. He’s a bouncy center with a nearly 7’5 wingspan who made 39.5 percent of his threes on 6.5 attempts per 100 possessions last year. He’s a good rebounder on both ends when he’s engaged. Ware is so talented that he often leaves you wanting more, and he never truly earned the trust of Spoelstra during his first two years in Miami. He just turned 22 years old. If he can grow into the Bucks’ center of the future, this package will look a lot more appealing.

This is a sad ending for the Giannis era in Milwaukee, but the Bucks did well to recoup every last future asset they could in the deal.

Bucks grade: A-

The balance of the Eastern Conference has shifted one more time, with Giannis Antetokounmpo joining the Heat in this June 22nd blockbuster trade.

Shame Charania has announced the trade, which see Giannis make his way to the Heat, alongside Bobby Portis. The Bucks will recoup four players – guards Tyler Herro, and Kasparas Jakucionis, forward Jaime Jaquez Jr, and centre Kel’el Ware – alongside the 13th overall pick in Tuesday’s draft, two more first rounders, alongside a second rounder and a pick swap, in exchange for parting with the one-time champion, two-time MVP. This is a move that has brought Milwaukee into a retooling phase, while elevating Giannis into a position of potential contention now that the forward has joined their team.

This move has serious ramifications for the Eastern Conference as a whole, but the Raptors’ already precarious position has been made even more uncertain with the entrance of a new heavy-hitter to the East.

A certain level of parity was hit in the middle of the pack last year, with the 5th and 6th seeded Raptors and Hawks tied with 46-36 records, and the 7th and 8th seeded 76ers and Magic were only two games behind, going 45-37. The Miami Heat went 43 and 39, earning the 10th seed. With low-level playoff spots as close as they are, the Heat’s jump-ahead to become even more serious contenders could result in a team that Toronto ends up facing in the play-in, or, should playoff seeding come down to the wire as it did in the past season, competing with for the fifth or sixth seed.

More playoff-calibre teams are the last things this Raptors squad needs to deal with as they fight to establish themselves in the league. However, there is something of a silver lining for Toronto, depending on the way you look at things: Rebecca Schapelhouman wrote on the Bucks potentially letting go of Myles Turner as part of their rebuild post-Giannis, allowing Toronto to move off of some rough contracts in the process, while getting a floor spacing big who, perhaps with a change of scenery, could flourish north of the border.

After years of intrigue connecting the Raptors and Antetokounmpo, the latest chapter of the Greek Freak-Toronto saga is finally closed. Want to look back on our old days of chasing the forward? Check out this old piece about what Chelsea Leite would, and wouldn’t give up for Giannis.

That’s finally over.

The Milwaukee Bucks have traded Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to the Miami Heat, sending one of the league’s defining superstars to a direct Eastern Conference rival in exchange for Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round picks (including No. 13), one pick swap, and one second-round pick.

The deal theoretically reshapes the conference and gives the defending champion New York Knicks a new obstacle on their road back to the Finals.

Milwaukee agreed to send Antetokounmpo and Portis to Miami in exchange for Herro, Ware, Jaquez Jr., Jakucionis, three first-round selections, a pick swap, and a second-rounder.

The move ends an era for the Bucks while making Miami an instant contender built around Giannis and Bam Adebayo.

The Knicks were already expecting opponents to take big swings after winning the NBA championship. Adding a player who has been an MVP (twice), Finals MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and perennial All-NBA selection is quite a haymaker.

That said, our panic meter isn’t hemorrhaging just yet. New York won a championship by combining elite star talent with depth, versatility, chemistry, and commitment to defense. This trade doesn’t erase that foundation. Nonetheless, every television panel and podcast will spend the summer discussing whether Giannis and Bam Adebayo have already leapfrogged the defending champs.

According to Shams Charania, “The Celtics aggressively pursued Giannis, offering Milwaukee a package featuring 2024 Finals MVP Jaylen Brown and two first-round picks, sources tell ESPN. The Bucks seriously negotiated with two finalists in recent weeks: Miami and Boston, which were both on Antetokounmpo’s list of preferred destinations.”

We bet things will be awkward in the locker room if the Celts go into training camp with Brown still on the roster. Oh, to be a fly on the wall. . . .

The combination of Giannis and Adebayo gives Miami one of the league’s most intimidating frontcourts, capable of controlling the paint on both ends. The flip side is that Miami paid a big price for the privilege, stripping away much of the franchise’s young depth and future flexibility.

Veteran minimum players are likely to be interested in joining the Heat now. Meanwhile, Milwaukee begins a franchise-altering rebuild built around a haul of young players and draft assets. And the Knicks? They’ll keep preparing to defend a title.

Go Knicks.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, finally, has a new home.

The Milwaukee Bucks have agreed to trade Antetokounmpo, a two-time NBA MVP and 10-time All-Star, and Bobby Portis to the Miami Heat in a massive blockbuster deal Monday, June 22, moving one of the elite players in the league – when healthy – two people with direct knowledge of the matter confirmed to USA TODAY Sports. The people spoke under the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly comment on the deal.

In return, the Bucks will receive Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakučionis, three first-round picks, a second-round selection and a pick swap, as they look to rebuild for the future after Antetokounmpo delivered a championship during the 2021 NBA Finals.

The trade cannot be executed until July 6 at 12:01 p.m. ET, which is the start of the new league year. Because of that, this trade could expand to include more teams and players, and the Heat will need to make the selection at No. 13 Tuesday night on behalf of Milwaukee.

But with this 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.

The Heat started the 2025-26 season hot as they revamped their offense to focus on speed, pace and fastbreak offense, but opposing teams deployed more zone and full-court pressure to slow the Heat considerably.

Miami struggled to gain traction and faded in the second half of the season, eventually losing in the Play-In Tournament to miss the postseason for the first time in six seasons.

Antetokounmpo, however, fits Miami’s philosophy perfectly. Blessed with incredible size and length at 6-foot-11, and elite athleticism, Antetokounmpo is arguably the best transition scorer in the NBA. By pairing him with Adebayo, an NBA All-Defensive second-team selection, the Heat now have formidable height, defensive versatility and rim protection, which will be invaluable in the East.

In many ways, this move is a direct maneuver to compete against teams like the Knicks, Celtics, Pacers and Cavaliers in the East. And after the fan base had clamored for Riley and the front office to take a big swing to land a star, this trade appeases those who had started to wonder if maybe it was time for Riley to step down.

This comes after months of speculation that Antetokounmpo, 31, was seeking a new home. Antetokounmpo was the big name constantly mentioned prior to the 2026 NBA trading deadline in February, as the Bucks weighed interest in the star. The constant rumor prompted both the Bucks and Antetokounmpo to repeatedly address his future in Milwaukee.

The Lakers never really got involved in the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade sweepstakes this summer, but there were just enough murmurs on the fringes of the deal that could have included the purple and gold.

For now, though, it’s a straight two-team trade that will send Giannis to Miami for about everything notable they have, including Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and three first round picks.

While it’s only a two-team trade right now, the deal won’t be executed until the league’s moratorium ends on July 6, leaving open the possibility of other teams getting involved.

It’s not directly clear how the Lakers could get involved. Ware would fill a need at the center position, but there are some concerns given how much he fell out of favor with Erik Spoelstra in Miami.

Herro is likely to be rerouted with all sorts of signs pointing to Detroit. Perhaps the Lakers could get involved with that aspect and land something from Pistons, but nothing jumps out. Perhaps an Isaiah Stewart deal could materialize, but he’d have to mend fences with LeBron James after trying to repeatedly fight him.

For now, Los Angeles gets to sit by and watch all this unfold. At least they didn’t pull a Boston Celtics and dangle their star player in a trade that the Bucks didn’t ultimately except, likely burning the brigde between the two parties and forcing you to now pull off a different trade.

Could you imagine?

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

The Greek Freak is taking his talents to South Beach.

The Bucks traded Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Heat in a blockbuster trade late Monday, according to ESPN, ending hours of speculation with Miami and the Celtics emerging as the finalists.

The Bucks also sent Bobby Portis to Miami in exchange for Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, along with the No. 13 pick in tonight’s draft, a 2033 second-round pick and a pick swap in 2030, according to ESPN.

Boston offered star Jaylen Brown and two first-rounders to the Bucks, according to ESPN.

It has been long speculated that Antetokounmpo’s time in Milwaukee was coming to an end, with drama between both parties occurring throughout the 2025-26 NBA season.

Despite it looking like the Bucks were going to move on from the 10-time All-Star ahead of the trade deadline, they were ultimately unsuccessful in engaging in trade talks in February.

Antetokounmpo reportedly first expressed wanting to be traded last May, which then prompted Milwaukee to give big man Myles Turner a $108.7 million deal in an attempt to build a contending team for this past season.

Things did not work out, however, with the Bucks finishing with a 32-50 record and their first year missing the postseason in a decade.

Antetokounmpo played just 36 games last year, averaging 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists while being sidelined with knee problems for the majority of the season. ]

His injury was also a source of concern for the NBA, with the league investigating the Bucks for allegedly violating the “player participation policy and potential inconsistent statements.”

Despite Antetokounmpo claiming that he was ready to play again, the Bucks refused to medically clear the two-time MVP.

“For somebody to come and tell me to not play or not to compete it’s like a slap in my face. So, I don’t know where the relationship goes from there,” he told reporters in April.

“I’ve never seen a case of a player saying, my caliber of player, that’s like, I’m saying it publicly, I want to f–king play. You know what I’m saying?” he added. “I don’t think I’ve seen this. So, if there needs to be an investigation, great.

“There should be. I don’t know. There should be. Until we figure something out.”

It’s official. The Milwaukee Bucks have officially ended the Giannis Antetokounmpo era by trading him to the Miami Heat. ESPN insider Shams Charania was the first to report the news.

The Bucks waffled back and forth between the Heat and Boston Celtics on possible deals, but ultimately decided to go with Miami’s offer. The Celtics could have sent a package headlined by Jaylen Brown, but it appears that the Bucks preferred the route that featured several players that could truly kickstart their rebuild.

It’s definitely a sad day for the Bucks organization as they say goodbye to their franchise icon of 13 years, but after winning just 32 games and missing the playoffs for the first time in a decade this past season, it was time to move on.

During his 13 years with the Bucks, Antetokounmpo led the franchise to 10 playoff appearances. He helped the Bucks reach the Eastern Conference Finals in 2019 after winning his first league MVP award. Two years later, his defining moment came when he led the Bucks to their first NBA championship in 50 years. The following year, the Bucks reached the second round of the playoffs, marking the last time Milwaukee won a playoff series.

The Bucks now have a chance to start fresh with an organic rebuild as they look to try and find the right pieces that can build a contender once again in Milwaukee.

Brew Hoop community, let us know your thoughts on the trade. How do you feel now that it is official? Chime off in the comments section below.