Betting markets are predicting a blockbuster trade that would potentially make the Miami Heat a super team and reunite Jrue Holiday with Giannis Antetokounmpo

The proposed trade would be a three-team move between the Miami Heat, the Houston Rockets, and the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Heat would receive Holiday and a 2027 second-round pick. Portland would receive Nikola Jovic and two second-round picks. Houston would receive Davion Mitchell.

It makes a lot of sense for the Rockets and the Heat, as the Heat would add a great player in Holiday. The Rockets would obviously get a great defender and guard.

While it makes sense for those teams, it only makes sense for the Trail Blazers if they feel they need to get rid of one of their star guards. They are currently splitting duties between four right now. After acquiring Ja Morant, the team now rosters him, Damian Lillard, Holiday and Scoot Henderson.

Another reason the Blazers would look to get rid of Holiday is his contract. With Holiday now 36 and owed over $30 million a year, it is a risky contract to have. The Blazers have shown no signs they want to get rid of him or think he is slowing down.

The Blazers return is still fairly low for a player of Holiday’s level, and they are the likeliest of the teams to shut this down.

Miami having to give up two players for Holiday would also mean a depth issue that they are already dealing with after using some of that and prospects to get Antetokounmpo.

However unlikely this trade is due to that, it is a frightening idea for the NBA to picture Holiday in Miami with all their recent acquisitions. Klay Thompson, Antetokounmpo, Holiday and Bam Adebayo all on the court would be a tough task for any group in the league.

The Giannis Antetokounmpo situation remains one of the biggest stories in the NBA, as speculation grows over whether the Milwaukee Bucks superstar could be on the move.

Antetokounmpo has repeatedly stated his desire to compete for championships. Following another disappointing end to the season for the Bucks, speculation about his long-term future in Milwaukee has intensified. While he has not publicly requested a trade, league insiders such as Shams Charania continue to monitor the situation, and the superstar could be on the move this summer.

The Bucks have built their franchise around Antetokounmpo, whom they selected with the 15th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft—a class considered one of the weaker first rounds in recent memory, though Giannis’s presence elevates it. He has become one of the most accomplished players of his generation, winning two MVP awards, a Defensive Player of the Year award, and leading Milwaukee to an NBA championship in 2021, where he was named Finals MVP and scored 50 points in Game 6.

Despite all his accomplishments, the Bucks have struggled to recapture that championship success in recent seasons. Their trade for Damian Lillard didn’t pan out, and with an aging roster and salary cap limitations, there are concerns about how Milwaukee can build a title contender around its superstar forward.

Teams like the Knicks, Celtics, Lakers, Thunder and Spurs—any strong contender—would be interested in Antetokounmpo, but it would take the right deal for Milwaukee to consider moving him. Right now, the Bucks have no interest in trading their superstar, but that could change.
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For the Bucks, keeping Antetokounmpo satisfied is the organization’s top priority. Team executives continue to explore roster improvements, but their championship window appears to be narrowing. For now, Antetokounmpo remains with the Bucks, but as the offseason unfolds, every comment and roster move will be closely watched throughout the basketball world.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo expressed his discontent with the Milwaukee Bucks after their season finale against the Philadelphia 76ers.

The 76ers defeated the Bucks 126-106. The Bucks finished with a record of 32-50, making them the No. 11-ranked team in the Eastern Conference. This is the first time the Bucks have missed the playoffs since the 2015-16 season. Antetokounmpo was unwilling to commit to a future with the Bucks.

 “I don’t know. It’s not up to me. We’ll see,” Antetokounmpo said.

Antetokounmpo didn’t play in the season finale. AJ Green (19 points) and Jericho Sims (15 points) put up strong performances for the Bucks. Despite this, the 76ers still won because of Tyrese Maxey scoring 21 points and Quentin Grimes scoring 20 points off the bench.

Just minutes after the season finale, the Bucks announced that head coach Doc Rivers will not return for the 2026-27 season. Rivers was hired in the middle of the 2023-24 season after Adrian Griffin was fired. The Bucks did not win a playoff series with Rivers as head coach.

Rivers was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on April 4. He won Coach of the Year with the Orlando Magic and won a championship with the Boston Celtics.

ESPN reported that Rivers was possibly losing trust in the locker room. Six players questioned Rivers’s leadership during a locker room meeting, in which Rivers responded, “Look at my resume.”  

The Bucks will now need to search for a new head coach. Sam Cassell is widely reported as a likely candidate. Cassell played for the Bucks for five seasons. He’s been an assistant coach for the Celtics since 2023. Antetokounmpo recently started imitating Cassell’s iconic celebration. Cassell could be the Bucks’ best shot at keeping Antetokounmpo on the team. 

The Milwaukee Bucks will be keeping their franchise star for the rest of the season, at least.

The Bucks announced on Feb. 5 that they will not be trading Giannis Antetokounmpo. Antetokounmpo has been involved in trade rumors for most of the season. 

The Bucks drafted Antetokounmpo with the No. 15 pick in the 2013 NBA draft. Most teams thought he was too skinny for the NBA, and that he was going to be a Nicolas Batum-like player at best. 

Antetokounmpo went on to win two MVPs and a Finals MVP with the Bucks. Since the 2021 championship, the Bucks have dealt with injuries hindering their success. Damian Lillard tearing his Achilles in the 2025 playoffs looked like it could be the final domino.

The Bucks tried their best to make the best possible roster. They released Lillard and signed Myles Turner. On paper, the roster made sense from a basketball perspective. They surrounded Antetokounmpo with good shooters. However, injuries have prevented the Bucks from finding consistency. 

At the trade deadline, the Bucks hold the No. 12 seed in the Eastern Conference. They are three games behind the Chicago Bulls for the No. 10 seed. 

The Bucks are likely playing the long game in finding a trade partner for Antetokounmpo. The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs hold the best possible trade packages for a star. However, neither of these teams are feeling urgency to make a big move. If either of these teams disappoint in the playoffs, they may be more willing to make a move. 

For now, the Bucks will look to maximize their time with Antetokounmpo. On Jan. 27, Antetokounmpo was diagnosed with a calf strain.

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s time with the Milwaukee Bucks may be coming to an end.

The Bucks are expected to begin listening to offers for Antetokounmpo. The Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors are currently considered the top contenders to trade for Antetokounmpo.

The Bucks have made the playoffs every season since 2017. However, this streak is currently in danger as they are the No. 12 seed. 

Antetokounmpo won the MVP in 2019 and 2020. He led the Bucks to a championship in 2021 and won Finals MVP. Antetokounmpo scored 50 points in Game 6 to defeat the Phoenix Suns. 

The Bucks traded away Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday, two key pieces of the 2021 championship team. They also lost Brook Lopez in free agency to the Los Angeles Clippers. Holiday was traded for All-Star Damian Lillard, who tore his Achilles tendon in the 2025 playoffs. 

The Bucks released Lillard during the offseason. Although they signed Myles Turner, the team was still left without a co-star for Antetokounmpo.

Antetokounmpo has been noncommittal when asked about his future with the Milwaukee Bucks. He is under contract for the 2026-27 season. After that season, he has a player option. He’d make $63 million in 2027-28 if he accepts this option. 

The Timberwolves are a very intriguing option for Antetokounmpo. This allows him to play with fellow All-Star Anthony Edwards. Julius Randle and Naz Reid are the pieces likely to be involved in an Antetokounmpo trade. The Timberwolves need to rely on pick swaps, since they’ve already traded away a fair amount of draft capital. 

The NBA trade deadline is scheduled for Feb. 5 at 3 p.m. ESPN reports that the Bucks will not rush to trade their franchise star. Waiting until the offseason could open up more trade options. 

The speculation on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future will not stop until he definitively says, “I will be a Milwaukee Buck next season.” The Knicks’ decision to extend Mikal Bridges – making him unavailable for trade for six months, something they would not have done if they believed Antetokounmpo would be available this summer – has not slowed the rumors. Even if the Greek freak came out today and said he was staying put on social media, the rumors would not stop.

“Sources tell me there’s still nothing set in stone about whether Giannis Antetokounmpo will stay in Milwaukee or whether he will be leaving. And so, he’s going to continue to evaluate his future,” said NBA insider Shams Charania. “There’s been some very real conversations over the past week or so. The constant question that Giannis has, though, is, ‘Can I win a championship with this roster? Is this roster going to be one for this upcoming year and 2026-2027?’ He wants to win a second championship… This is a very tough decision for him. This is 12 years he’s spent there. There’s a lot of equity there.”

Antetokounmpo’s only public comments on the situation had him suggesting he is likely to stay: “Probably. Probably, we’ll see. Probably, I love Milwaukee.”

Those comments came after the Bucks made a bold move to show Antetokounmpo how committed they are to winning, stretching and waiving the injured Damien Lillard to get an upgrade at center in Myles Turner.

While the Bucks still seem one player away (unless Kyle Kuzma has a revelation and role players such as Gary Harris have career years), Antetokounmpo has to ask himself if the other teams he might jump to really get him closer to a ring? If he moves to a team in the West, such as the Golden State Warriors or San Antonio Spurs (teams rumored to have interest), he will have to run a gauntlet of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the defending champion Thunder (bringing everyone back from a 68-win team), Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets, Kevin Durant and the Rockets, Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves, LeBron James and Luka Doncic with the Lakers and the list goes on.

The Milwaukee Bucks made some major moves on Tuesday and, according to one media member, Giannis Antetokounmpo is not happy with all of them. Following the news that the Bucks had signed Myles Turner and waived Damian Lillard, Antetokounmpo took to social media to post an image from the Bucks’ 2021 championship celebration.

The Bucks are stretching the remaining $113 million on Lillard’s contract in order to acquire Turner.

Turner has agreed with the Bucks on a four-year, $107 million deal that includes a player option for Year 4 in 2028-29 and a full 15% trade kicker, sources told ESPN.

Lillard’s two seasons with the Bucks come to an end as the seven-time All-NBA guard recovers from a torn Achilles tendon after undergoing surgery in early May.

A few minutes later, NBA insider Chris Haynes reported that the Bucks’ star is “not pleased with the team’s decision to waive Damian Lillard,” according to league sources.

“He just didn’t like how it was handled,” Haynes added during a Tuesday appearance on NBA TV.

This signals a day of mixed emotions for Antetokounmpo, who reportedly valued the opportunity to partner with Turner, according to Shams Charania. Antetokounmpo’s apparent frustration with the Bucks comes amid widespread speculation over his future with the franchise.

On May 12, Charania reported that Antetokounmpo was “open-minded” about exploring whether his best long-term fit was with the Bucks or someplace else.

On Monday night, Charania added: “It’s still wait and see. Giannis Antetokounmpo was open-minded about whether his best fit is in Milwaukee or elsewhere. I have not felt a shift from that mentality.”

It remains to be seen how the waiving of Lillard could impact Antetokounmpo’s future with the franchise.

Lillard was already going to miss most, if not all, of next season, so if this bothers Antetokounmpo on a professional level, it’s because he was looking forward to Lillard’s comeback in 2026.

Whatever his true feelings are right now, every move by the Bucks and every reaction by Antetokounmpo will prompt people to reassess how he’s approaching his future in Milwaukee.

As the playoffs wind down and the offseason gets closer, questions regarding the future of the Milwaukee Bucks’ superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo will only continue to grow.

Antetokounmpo is exploring whether his best long-term fit is to stay in Milwaukee. The Bucks and Antetokounmpo’s representatives are expected to sit down and discuss his future with the team.

Teams have approached the Bucks about the availability of Antetokounmpo throughout his career. However, after three consecutive first-round exits for the Bucks, it seems Antetokounmpo could be ready to move on.

Despite the first-round playoff loss, Antetokounmpo had one of the best statistical seasons of his career. He averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game.

His rebound and assist totals were both the highest of his career.

After being drafted by Milwaukee in 2013, Antetokounmpo has spent 12 years with the Bucks. In 2021, he helped bring the team an NBA championship, only their second in franchise history.

If Antetokounmpo does move on from the Bucks, he’ll be considered arguably the greatest player in franchise history.

The Brooklyn Nets, Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, and San Antonio Spurs are possible teams in the mix for the former MVP.

Any team that is eager to make a trade for Antetokounmpo needs to have a large amount of cash.

Tyrese Haliburton hit a game-winning shot, and he wasn’t even the Haliburton who caused the most drama.

The Indiana Pacers beat the Milwaukee Bucks 119-118 in overtime. After the game, Haliburton’s father taunted Giannis Antetokounmpo, leading to a heated exchange between the two teams.

John Haliburton, Tyrese’s father, ran up to Antetokounmpo holding a towel with his son on it and started yelling in his face.

“Coming on the floor and showing me his son’s towel, [saying] ‘This is what we do. This is what we F’ing do. This the F we do,’ …. I feel like that’s very, very disrespectful,” Antetokounmpo said.

The two exchanged words before they were finally separated.

Tyrese believed that his father was in the wrong for causing the incident.

“Me and my pops have talked about that,” Tyrese said in his postgame news conference. “I don’t agree with what transpired there from him.” 

The Pacers won the series 4-1, with game five being the most dramatic of the series. The Bucks led 118-111 with 40 seconds left in overtime.

ESPN had given the Bucks a 99.5% chance to win at this point.

Crucial turnovers down the stretch led to Pacers buckets and Haliburton’s game-winning layup.

The Bucks, who’ve lost in the first round in back-to-back years, are likely candidates for big offseason changes. Both Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard may be playing somewhere different next season.

Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo rejected claims that he would ever request a trade, citing his loyalty to the team and his family’s ties to the city. Trade rumors involving Antetokounmpo were rampant earlier this season after a poor start to the Bucks’ season.

When Milwaukee began the season with a 1-6, Antetokounmpo seemed so indifferent to the idea of a trade that people began to claim that he was on the verge of requesting one himself. Speaking about the idea at All-Star Weekend, the Greek Freak painted a vastly different picture, saying that the team would have to kick him out of the building in the event of a trade.

The Bucks have bounced back from their rocky start, winning the NBA Cup and improving to a 29-24 record. They are now fifth in the Eastern Conference and well on their way to a playoff berth, which naturally makes it easier for Antetokounmpo to speak well of the situation and shoot down previous trade rumors.

On the other hand, the Antetokounmpo’s attitude toward trades has always been consistent. The big man has repeatedly described the NBA as a business, and has always said he would honor a trade and do his best to win on another team. He has also accepted that repeated failure in Milwaukee may force the front office to reevaluate its core group of players.

In the rush to cover a rough stretch for the Bucks, however, many conflated Antetokounmpo’s pragmatism and disappointment. Antetokounmpo and the team are in a much better place now, and he is free to discuss the idea of a trade without the immediate danger of it occurring. In doing so, he has revealed that he was frustrated about losing games but never considered leaving on his own terms.

In a highly anticipated matchup between Giannis Antetokounmpo and rising star Victor Wembanyama on Wednesday, the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 121-105 to take a much-needed step forward in the Eastern Conference. Despite delivering a subpar performance overall, Wembanyama made a handful of plays to earn praise from his fellow big man.

“He’s an incredible talent,” Antetokounmpo said after his second time facing Wembanyama. “He’s probably one of the most talented players I’ve ever watched on TV, ever played against. This is his second year in the league, he’s way better than his first year, he’s gonna keep on improving and he has a very, very bright future. He’s just gotta keep working on his game, keep working on himself, keep playing the game with joy and he’s gonna be the face of the league for a lot of years.”

While Antentokounmpo finished the game with 25 points, 16 rebounds and eight assists, Wembanyama struggled to capitalize on a hot start and finished with 10 points. He did earn a double-double by earning 10 rebounds, but San Antonio needed much more from him to topple Milwaukee, a superior rival.

Wembanyama couldn’t do quite enough to take down Antetokounmpo in their second meeting, but some plays turn heads more than the stat sheet might suggest. An offensive flurry by Wembanyama early in the first quarter, including a one-legged three-pointer and a contested layup on Antetokounmpo soon after, firmly established the Frenchman as a potent threat. Milwaukee managed to contain him over time, but his status in the league is still quickly growing.

In the 2024-25 season, Wembanyama is scoring 25.1 points per game with 10.8 rebounds and 4.0 blocks, all improvements from his rookie season. The Spurs have vastly improved this year as he has taken another step forward. With an 18-19 record, they are on pace to earn more wins this year than they have in any season since 2019.

With LeBron James and Steph Curry playing at a high level deep into their careers, talk of the next ‘face’ of the NBA has remained a somewhat nebulous exercise in the past decade. Antetokounmpo has been one of many names thrown out there as the next big thing, along with the likes of Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Anthony Edwards are more recent additions to the party. 

All of these players are in the midst of phenomenal careers, and those who haven’t won championships yet seem poised to do so at some point. Some are also highly entertaining off the floor, adding to their marketability. But none of them have the unique arsenal that Wembanyama possesses. 

His overwhelming size and sound fundamentals make him a nightmarish matchup on defense. On offense, he is as potent from the perimeter as he is under the rim. Still a raw prospect in many respects, he is already competing and getting the better of some of the best players in the NBA.

Antetokounmpo isn’t the only one that sees it. Wembanyama’s early displays have earned universal acclaim from the very best in the NBA. The Spurs are a notoriously professional organization and figure to build around him as he continues to develop. San Antonio should become a more dangerous contender over time, at which point Wembanyama’s individual superstardom could become part of something greater. His time is still coming.

Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo dominated the floor Wednesday with a 59-point performance, almost singlehandedly carrying Milwaukee to a 127-120 win over the Detroit Pistons. Antetokounmpo has been at the center of trade rumors in recent weeks, but for now, he is still providing for his longtime team.

Competing without Damian Lillard and Khris Middleton, the Bucks either had to lean heavily on their big men or look to their bench for production against the Pistons. The team employed the former option, running the offense through Antetokounmpo and center Brook Lopez. The Greek Freak’s 59-point, 14-rebound night grabbed all the headlines, but Lopez also scored 29 points in the win. 

“It’s funny how a coach thinks, though,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said after the game. “We called a timeout and I’m thinking, ‘OK, Giannis has 22 of our 24. This ain’t good.’ I’m thinking the exact opposite. We gotta figure out how to get someone else involved in this game. … And then after the game, you realize how special that is.”

The Bucks did get other players involved late in the game Wednesday, as Lopez proved to be an effective complement in overtime, while Taurean Prince put together a flurry late in the fourth quarter. That being said, only two players besides Antetokounmpo and Lopez scored more than 10 points.

The motivation behind trade rumors involving Antetokounmpo is that the Bucks are no longer an organization that can win a championship. The team now has a 4-8 record, an improvement from a 1-6 start, but it required a near-career-high scoring night from Antetokounmpo for the team to beat the 5-8 Pistons in overtime. It was a nice win and a showcase for Antetokounmpo’s overwhelming style. But without Lillard and Middleton on the floor, it also became even more apparent how dependent the team is on its generational star.

The game against the Pistons was the beginning of a crucial stretch for the Bucks. Eight of their next nine games are against teams that currently have losing records. It will be a golden opportunity to get back to a winning record and lock down Antetokounmpo for another run to the playoffs. Failing to do so could be the deciding factor in the decision to trade Antetokounmpo and effectively end Milwaukee’s years-long run as a perennial contender.

It seems like a massive overreaction. It probably is. But after a poor start to the 2024-25 season for the Milwaukee Bucks, several reports suggest that the team would be open to trading star Giannis Antetokounmpo at the deadline if things don’t improve. Doing so would dramatically shift the franchise’s focus.

Imaging Antetokounmpo on another NBA team is difficult to comprehend, as the two-time MVP and 2021 NBA Champion is deeply ingrained in the Bucks’ team culture. His brother, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, is a fixture on the team’s bench. The team acquired star point guard Damian Lillard last season to build around the “Greek Freak,” and abruptly replaced coach Adrian Griffin with Doc Rivers during the 2023-24 season to preserve the team’s postseason chances.

But even after all those attempted improvements, Milwaukee’s playoff run last year ended early due to injuries and a lack of team chemistry. The problems have carried over to the 2024-25 campaign. Khris Middleton missed the start of the season with an injury and will not be back until November. Without him, the Bucks have started the season 1-4 and lost two games to the Nets and Bulls, both weaker Eastern Conference rivals on paper. Antetokounmpo and Lillard are playing well, but the team around them is not stepping up.

If Antetokounmpo does not successfully help Milwaukee turn things around, several anonymous executives have told outlets that they expect a blockbuster deal. The team is nowhere near that reality after just four games, but it’s still a clear indicator that people are looking into the situation in Milwaukee and seeing obvious cracks.

With Middleton returning soon, the Bucks figure to improve with their big three in place, at which point they can truly assess their standing within the conference. Last year, the team still managed to finish third despite a number of issues during the regular season, so it’s not unreasonable to expect the team to reach some equilibrium this year as well. Antetokounmpo has repeatedly expressed a desire to win another championship in Milwaukee, and as long as the team has a realistic chance, it will be difficult to foresee any kind of move.

“As long as we are in for a championship … we are all good,” Antetokounmpo said in September 2023. “The moment I feel like people are complacent, and they’re ‘OK’ … I am not.”

As the Milwaukee Bucks stand on the brink of elimination Thursday night, their star players remain questionable to return. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard are reportedly working toward a potential return in Game 6 on the road against the Indiana Pacers, but they do not yet have an official status.

“I don’t know how to answer that,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said when asked for injury updates. “I know I hope [to have them on the floor again in the series]. I think they’re very, very, very close.”

Despite finishing the season as the third seed in the Eastern Conference, the Bucks have suffered a litany of injuries to key players before and during their first-round matchup against the Pacers. Antetokounmpo has not yet appeared in the first five games, leaving Lillard and Khris Middleton to lead the team on the floor. Middleton has had to play through a setback he suffered in Game 2, while Lillard was heroic in the first three games before missing Games 4 and 5 with an Achilles strain.

“[Antetokounmpo] didn’t do a lot [at shootaround],” Rivers said during a press conference before Game 6. “Did some shooting again. Did more after I left, but I didn’t see it. Dame didn’t do anything.”

After the press conference, Lillard took the floor for shooting practice, and his status has since been upgraded to questionable.

Milwaukee has managed to claw its way back to a 3-2 series deficit without its major contributors, which is a feat in itself, as the Pacers have done them no favors while trying to spring the upset. Indiana star Tyrese Haliburton has led the team throughout the series, particularly in a Game 3 overtime victory in which he scored 18 points with 10 rebounds and 16 assists.

Even if Antetokounmpo and Lillard return, the Bucks will have to win two straight games, one on the road and one at home, to advance to the second round. A loss in the first round would be an unfortunate result for a team pegged as a serious championship contender before the 2023-24 season.

Damian Lillard set a Milwaukee Bucks franchise record by scoring 35 points in the first half of the team’s 109-94 Game 1 win against the Indiana Pacers in the opening round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs. Lillard shot 11/19 from the floor and 4/6 from three-point range while leading the team without superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.

“I don’t think that it’s all on me, but I know that I’ve got to be a little bit more aggressive, and I’ve got to step forward a little bit more assertively,” Lillard said. “In the playoffs … it’s about setting a tone. We’re going to see this team a lot of times, and you want to establish yourself, especially on your home floor.”

Lillard’s 35 first-half points were enough to give the Bucks a 27-point lead at halftime. Indiana focused on him defensively in the second half and outscored Milwaukee by 15 points in the third quarter, but the lead was still too large. Lillard only shot five times in the second half, all of them, but also finished with six rebounds and three assists as the Bucks walked away with a 15-point win. Khris Middleton also had an efficient game for Milwaukee, finishing with 23 points, 10 rebounds and four assists on 64.3% shooting.

The Bucks ended the regular season on a 3-7 stretch but opened the playoffs with a key win at home. Lillard’s 35 points were the most he’s scored since March 4, and the six threes he made the most in a month. As a team, Milwaukee went 1-4 against Indiana in the regular season but managed a win despite playing without Antetokounmpo. Pascal Siakam led Indiana with 36 points and 13 rebounds, but the Pacers only shot 39.6% from the field and 20.5% from three.

The Sunday afternoon win against Indiana was Lillard’s first playoff game since 2021. He spent the previous 11 years of his career with the Portland Trail Blazers but was traded in the most recent offseason in hopes of playing with a title contender.

“The last two years, not being in the playoffs, it sucked,” Lillard said. “Just having that long summer, it was like, man, I was over that.”

Lillard’s 35 first-half points were enough to build a lead Milwaukee could keep the rest of the game, but a performance like that is only guaranteed for part of the series. Antetokounmpo sat out the last three games of the regular season and has yet to return to practice, with no precise return date yet to be given. In the meantime, Lillard and Middleton will have to lead the Bucks as the series continues.

The Philadelphia 76ers finalized a trade Thursday to send guard Patrick Beverley to the Milwaukee Bucks for guard Cameron Payne and a 2027 second-round pick. The exchange of bench options wouldn’t be particularly noteworthy if it weren’t between two of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.

By acquiring Beverley, a veteran most known for his hard-nosed defense and trash-talking, could be an attempt by the Bucks to kickstart their locker room after a recent skid. Since parting ways with coach Adrian Griffin, the team has gone 1-4.

Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo complained earlier in the season that the team had issues with effort and focus, and it seems that those struggles have persevered under new coach Doc Rivers. The team is now third in the Eastern Conference standings with a 33-18 record.

The 76ers, meanwhile, hold a 30-20 record but have not yet established themselves as the championship contender many expected them to be before the season. Even with reigning MVP Joel Embiid producing at an elite level, the team has been overshadowed in the East by the likes of the Cavaliers and Knicks, teams that Philadelphia has routinely outperformed in recent years. The Sixers are currently fifth in the conference, putting them out of reach of old rivals like the Celtics or Bucks for now.

Based on Beverley’s reputation, many will focus on Milwaukee’s side of the trade. Beverley has made a name for himself as a scrappy player, which could benefit the Bucks, who have developed an undesirable role as the conference’s sleeping giant.

But while Beverley could help his new team on and off the floor, Payne could also be an interesting addition for Philadelphia. The 29-year-old journeyman has had next to no playing time in Milwaukee behind Damian Lillard and others, but in four seasons in Phoenix, he proved reliable off the bench and could find a similar niche again with more opportunities.

Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo scored a career-high 64 points Wednesday night to lead the team to a 140-126 victory over the Indiana Pacers. To receive the game ball for this achievement, however, Antetokounmpo had to storm down the tunnel in search of his opponents after the final buzzer.

The Bucks and Pacers entered the game Wednesday as casual rivals, having faced one another recently during the In-Season Tournament semifinals.

Things went smoothly for most of the night, however, until the incident after the game.

Antetokounmpo, who scored 64 points on 28 field goal attempts, was looking around for the game ball to commemorate his personal-best scoring night. The ball was already on the way to Indiana’s locker room.

Antetokounmpo began running down the tunnel to confront his opponents.

He and Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton exchanged heated words in front of the locker room before security finally managed to get the ball for Antetokounmpo. He later accused the Pacers of giving him a different ball, saying it did not feel like the one used in the game.

“I have no idea. I’m not going to lie,” Antetokounmpo told reporters after the game. “I have no idea. I don’t know. I really don’t know. I have a ball, but I don’t know if it’s the game ball. It doesn’t feel like the game ball to me. It feels like a brand new ball. I can tell. I played, what, 35 minutes today. I know how the game ball felt. The ball that I have, which I’ll take and I’ll give it to my mom for sure, but I don’t know if it’s actually the game ball.”

The Pacers originally claimed that they took the game ball in order to honor teammate Oscar Tshiebwe, who scored his first NBA basket on a free throw during the game.

But audio captured after the game also suggests that the team was aware that it was taking the ball away from Antetokounmpo.

Multiple players took to social media after the game to continue the dispute, which seemed to finally end after the Bucks’ official Twitter account posted a photo of Antetokounmpo holding the ball.

Milwaukee Bucks star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo was ejected from Wednesday night’s game against the Detroit Pistons. Antetokounmpo was tossed by rule after receiving his second technical foul in the third quarter.

Rodney Mott, the crew chief Wednesday night, explained both plays that led to the Bucks star’s ejection during the pool report after the game.

“On the play, Giannis drives to the basket and he thinks he gets fouled,” Mott said. “Then he approaches the game official and uses profanity, which is an unsportsmanlike technical foul and was issued at that time.”

After that play, which occurred in the second quarter, Antetokounmpo apparently celebrated excessively following a highlight dunk.

“After the dunk Giannis turns to his opponent and taunts him and a taunting technical foul was called, an unsportsmanlike,” Mott said. “And he was ejected from the game, per rule, because two unsportsmanlike technical fouls, you are ejected from the game.”

Many on social media expressed frustration with the referees’ decisions during and after the game, arguing that one or both of the calls were unnecessary. The taunting call, specifically, has sparked a debate about the league’s current rules about taunting. The celebration did not seem drastically different from similar examples that were not penalized. Some fans have argued that the call should not have been made at all, especially with Antetokounmpo facing an ejection.

Even though Anentokounmpo’s night ended early, he still managed to score 15 points with nine rebounds and five assists. Newly acquired point guard Damian Lillard led the way with 34 points and carried the team the rest of the way to a 120-119 victory.

“We felt there was a lot of questionable calls,” center Brook Lopez said after the game. “You got to fight through that. The way Giannis got kicked out, we obviously don’t think that was great or correct. But whatever. We turned it into a positive. It sucked not to have him out there. But it was a great opportunity for us to play pretty much solely with Dame. Get him more used to us, get used to him and all other guys.”

It seems that a brief era of tumult has ended for the Milwaukee Bucks. In a three-way trade with the Portland Trail Blazers and Phoenix Suns finalized Wednesday, Milwaukee received star point guard Damian Lillard in exchange for Jrue Holiday, Grayson Allen, a 2029 first-round pick and two first-round pick swaps.

At the end of the 2022-23 NBA season, the Bucks faced a series of challenges that seemed certain to end their attempt at a dynasty prematurely. They were a no-show as the first seed in the Eastern Conference, going quietly in five games against the eighth-seeded Miami Heat. Star Giannis Antetokounmpo suffered an injury in that series and failed to deliver upon returning. Longtime Milwaukee forward Khris Middleton entered free agency early in the summer and seemed to be on his way out of the organization.

For a moment, the 2021 champs seemed to be fading away. Now, they’re championship favorites once more, as Lillard will join Antetokounmpo and Middleton, re-signed in July, to form one of the most formidable big threes in recent NBA history.

Though it has long been rumored that Lillard would be leaving Portland before the start of the 2023-24 season, he still took to Twitter Wednesday night to speak to Portland fans and express optimism for his future.

“The casuals won’t be addressed but the Trailblazers fans and city of Portland that I love truly will be … and they will be addressed truthfully,” Lillard said. “Stay tuned. Excited for my next chapter!”

In a joint statement, Bucks president Peter Feigin and general manager Jon Horst said that the team had no choice but to go for Lillard, a seven-time All-Star who scored 32.2 points per game last season.

“Today is an exciting day for Milwaukee,” Feigin and Horst said. “When you have the rare opportunity to pair one of the premier NBA players with a highly versatile roster that has lofty goals, you go for it. And we’re thrilled to welcome seven-time All-Star Damian Lillard to the Bucks.”

Despite disappointing in the playoffs last year, the Bucks still amassed a 58-24 record, the best in the league. Antetokoumpo remains a generational talent and will keep Middleton, his right-hand man, and gain Lillard, who has not had an All-Star teammate since 2015.

Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo recently underwent successful surgery to clean up loose cartilage in his left knee. Though he is questionable for the FIBA World Cup in August, he is expected to be ready to compete at the start of the NBA season.

New Bucks coach Adrian Griffin told reporters Wednesday that the surgery would not complicate the 2023-23 season for Antetokounmpo, who complained of lingering knee discomfort last year.

“He had a routine surgery on his left knee, and it went great,” Griffin said. “Everything went as planned, and we expect him back and ready to go in training camp.”

Though Antetokounmpo received an encouraging return timeline for the NBA season, he may not me available to represent Greece in the FIBA World Cup. The Athens native played for Greek club Filathlitikos B.C. before the 2013 NBA Draft and has previously enjoyed representing his country in international competition during the offseason. He played in both the 2014 and 2019 FIBA World Cups.

“I enjoyed playing FIBA basketball,” Antetokounmpo said in a 2022 interview with Eurohoops. “I enjoyed playing and representing the national team. Wearing that jersey is totally different, representing 11 million Greeks and four million Greeks outside Greece. It is a great feeling and it is something that as long as I am healthy and I can go, I would because it is a totally different experience.”

Last season, Antetokounmpo and the Bucks still looked similar to their 2021 championship roster and earned the top seed in the Eastern Conference going into the NBA Playoffs. Antetokounmpo suffered an injury early in the team’s first series against the Miami Heat, and even after he returned, Jimmy Butler and the Heat seemed like the better team and won in five games.

With Khris Middleton headed for free agency, it will be even more important for Antetokounmpo to be at full strength going in the 2023-24 season, as the team will likely run through him even more than it has previously.