Finally, the Giannis Antetokounmpo transfer saga is now over. On Monday night, the Milwaukee Bucks agreed to trade the two-time MVP, along with Bobby Portis, to the Miami Heat, for four players, three first round draft picks, one second round draft pick and one draft pick swap. It’s a blockbuster deal to say the least. It’s a true “blow it all up and completely start over” kind of situation. Like a basketball Herschel Walker trade of sorts. The Greek Freak era is over, and kudos to him, the Bucks and the city for delivering that title a few years ago. There are many winners and losers here, including Kasparas Jakucionis.
He will now play his home games in the same arena where his collegiate career ended.
Greek Freak Blockbuster Deal
Miami Heat Receive:
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis
Milwaukee Bucks Receive:
Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round picks (including No. 13 lasty night, which was used on Tennessee forward Nate Ament), one pick swap and one second-rounder
The Bucks are now in full rebuild mode, and given what had happened/what was happening with Giannis, it’s best now, for all involved, to move on. The two-time NBA MVP gets to join a true contender. And the Bucks get a badly needed reset. In last night’s first round of the NBA Draft, they took Arizona’s Brayden Burries with the 10th overall pick, and then Ament with the 13th selection.
Burries is ready, right now, to be a starting rotation volume scorer in the NBA.
The Deer District is going to love watching this guy shoot the ball.
Ament is the most long-term potenial upside guy in this draft class. Which means he’s an unfinished product, obviously, but Milwaukee is a longer-term plan right now. Everything is kind of wide open right now, with a lot of open competition for various roles.
This benefits Jakucionis a lot. The opportunities just weren’t there for the Lithuanian point guard during his rookie year in Miami.
The playing time will be there in Cream City. Take a look:
Potential Milwaukee Bucks 2026-27 Depth Chart
Point Guard: Ryan Rollins, Kasparas Jakucionis
Shooting Guard: Tyler Herro, Kevin Porter Jr., AJ Green
Small Forward: Kyle Kuzma, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Ousmane Dieng
Power Forward: Pete Nance
Center: Myles Tyrner, Kel’el Ware
This is very much TBD/TBA/subject to change etc.
KJ was one and done from Illinois to the league in 2025. He’s the first one-and-done to the NBA in Illini history. Will Riley and Keaton Wagler followed, and just like that, Illinois basketball has had three players reach this status, seemingly overnight. Kasparas Jakucionis is very big and tall for his position, and he’s a phenomenal shooter.
He also plays the game with a lot of cajones. His passing skills are here and there, up and down.
Sometimes, it does get adventurous there.
But if he improves in that aspect, and shores up his defense, well, he could have a very nice NBA career. There’s a reason he draws Luka Doncic comps. Being the backup point guard for the Milwaukee Bucks is not a bad place for Kasparas Jakucionis to be right now.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.