Jimmy Haslam's experience trading Myles Garrett shaped the Bucks' decision to choose Miami's package over Boston's Jaylen Brown offer.
The Giannis Antetokounmpo era in Milwaukee is officially over, and the person who pushed the Bucks toward Miami's offer instead of Boston's was co-owner Jimmy Haslam.
According to Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor, Haslam was the deciding factor in one of the biggest trades in NBA history.
Haslam's Fear of Another Star Wanting Out
Milwaukee finished 2025-26 with a 32-50 record, 11th in the Eastern Conference and out of the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
Antetokounmpo played in just 36 games this year before a knee injury ended his season, and the Bucks' inability to build a winner around him made a trade feel unavoidable.
The Celtics, who went 56-26 and finished second in the East, made a strong push for Antetokounmpo with a package built around 2024 Finals MVP Jaylen Brown and two first-round picks.
On paper, Brown is the best single player any team could have offered.
Boston aggressively pursued the deal right up until the end, but that did not matter to Haslam.
"Sources say Bucks owner Jimmy Haslam was a driving force in taking the Heat deal for Giannis over Boston's offer," O'Connor reported.
O'Connor went on to explain that "Haslam didn't want to risk Jaylen Brown wanting out of Milwaukee in a year after dealing with Giannis and Myles Garrett trade demands."
That last part is important.
Haslam also co-owns the Cleveland Browns, who traded Myles Garrett earlier this month after dealing with his trade demands.
Having gone through one messy star exit already, Haslam was not eager to bring in another unhappy All-Star who might not want to stay in a small market during a rebuild.
Why the Heat Offer Worked Better
O'Connor added that "Haslam wanted certainty, and the Miami deal provided more of that with more total assets in return to Milwaukee."
The 43-39 Heat sent Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel'el Ware, Kasparas Jakucionis, the No. 13 pick in the 2026 draft, unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, a 2030 pick swap and a 2033 second-round pick to Milwaukee for Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis.
Much of that return is useful for what comes next.
Herro is a former All-Star who averaged 20.5 points per game this season and gives Milwaukee immediate scoring.
Ware is a 20-year-old center with real upside, Jakucionis showed flashes as a rookie after going 20th overall in 2025 and Jaquez is a tough two-way wing on a team-friendly deal.
All four are 26 or younger on cost-controlled contracts, which is exactly what a rebuilding team needs.
Brown would have been the better player today.
But he turns 30 in October, carries roughly $57 million per year for three more seasons and had been reported as being against playing in Milwaukee.
If Brown forced his way out within a year, the Bucks would have been stuck trying to move a massive contract for far less.
Haslam did not want to go through that again, and by choosing Miami's package he gave the Bucks a clear path forward with youth, draft capital and flexibility that Brown's deal could not provide.
