Amidst the freshmen frenzy, several veterans were told they'd be on the move. Who comes out on top in the early trades of the NBA offseason?
Sixty NBA dreams were realized on Tuesday and Wednesday. Many, many more are set to continue next year, albeit in new situations.
Trades during draft season are like trees and jingle bells at Christmas: if they're not there, something's definitely off. Look no further than the board in Wednesday's second round: when all was said and done, only the Toronto Raptors were choosing in the spot they were originally supposed (50th overall to get Arizona's Jaden Bradley).
With that in mind, several other teams that perhaps didn't have draft day(s) circled in a darker shade of ink made their own plays at joining the New York Knicks in championship glory. Several major veterans are on the move in deals made before, during, and after the selections. These deals won't become official until later, but they've already made seismic statements for those making way-too-early predictions for the 2026-27 season.
Ballislife takes a look at three of the big trades that went down amidst the freshman entry frenzy, determining the early victors before they let their floor work do the talking ...
Greek Heat
MILWAUKEE BUCKS GET: Tyler Herro, Kasparas Jakučionis, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel'el Ware, No. 13 pick (Nate Ament), 2030 pick swap, 2031 and 2033 first-round picks, 2033 second-round pick
MIAMI HEAT GETS: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis
EARLY WINNER: Bucks
With all due respect to AJ Dybantsa and his compatriots atop the draft board, nothing on the transaction log has the potential staying power of Antetokounmpo's transfer to Dade County. If only for the fact that the deerest nightmare is over, the Bucks emerge as the early winners as this one.
While it's fair to admit that the game's probably a little more fun when the Heat make a headline-grabbing transaction (i.e. Alonzo Mourning, Shaquille O'Neal, LeBron James), one has to wonder if the Antetokounmpo/Bam Adebayo pairing is a suitable tandem to drag South Beach out of Play-In purgatory ... and that's before Norman Powell potentially hits the road. Miami's depth desperation was immediately on display on day two of the draft, when they traded up to take Louisville backcourt threat Ryan Conwell at 37th overall.
It's probably not fair to place postseason expectations on these Bucks quite yet, but they at least have a solid nest egg for a formal rebuild, especially with the intriguing Ament arriving at the 13th overall choice. Moving on from Antetokounmpo also allows them to get on with the rest of their franchise affairs, as they no longer have to worry about spinning their tires and making increasingly delirious big swings (i.e. Damian Lillard, Myles Turner) in the name of keeping the Greek Freak happy.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has now departed the list of the Longest Tenured players for a single franchise after being traded to the Miami Heat last night 🤧
— Basketball Forever (@bballforever_) June 23, 2026
Stephen Curry and Draymond Green remain as the league's epitome for loyalty 🌉 pic.twitter.com/cldIJrvuGm
A Handle With Randle
CHICAGO BULLS GET: Nic Claxton
BROOKLYN NETS GET: Julius Randle, No. 28 pick (Joshua Jefferson)
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES GET: Mouhamadou Gueye, No. 33 pick (Isaiah Evans)
EARLY WINNER: Nets
More on the Timberwolves' struggles shortly, but if any team in the Association could've used a pick-me-up, it's no doubt the Brooklyn Nets.
Cruel hardwood irony, perhaps, can't be better defined by the fact that Randle is back in New York barely a week after his former employers staged a championship run without him. Having said that, there's still a place for him in Brooklyn, even if his 2027-28 player option opens up a whole other slew of questions.
While Brooklyn has engaged in what could informally be described as ethical tanking, the basketball gods haven't offered them much in return. Look no further than the fact that their ultimate reward for this year's struggles was the sixth overall pick in a year they finished with the third-worst record. Having a proven talent like Randle in tow could finally create some sort of positive momentum, even if his postseason endeavors have left something to be desired (although medical interruption has had something to do with that).
It was nice to see them develop a homegrown talent in Claxton (who could emerge as a sterling interior mentor to new savior Caleb Wilson), but it was clear that his peak on Atlantic Avenue had come and gone with nary a shift in the Nets' fortunes on the Association ledgers. Even if there's little chance that the Nets will be able to match their Manhattan counterparts, Randle at least gives the Nets some form of roster stability that's been lacking on Atlantic Avenue's men side.
First look at Julius Randle in his new Nets threads 👀🔥 pic.twitter.com/AZTT6kMwAf
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 23, 2026
Ball Game
CHARLOTTE HORNETS GET: Naz Reid, 2028, 2029, 2030 pick swaps, 2029, 2032, 2033 second-round picks, 2033 first-round pick
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES GET: LaMelo Ball, Josh Green
EARLY WINNER: Hornets
At least other apron-fearing squads get to lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy before they start cost-cutting.
No team has undergone a more significant makeover in the brief space between the Finals and the draft than the Timberwolves, who have added Randle and Reid to a list of departures that also includes Donte DiVincenzo. The scary part is that they might not be done with the purging just yet.
With Karl-Anthony Towns still basking in metropolitan championship glory after his own trade from Minneapolis (which looks even harsher with Randle gone), they're left with Terrence Shannon Jr. and Joan Beringer as the top spell options behind Rudy Gobert. There's no doubt that Ball could form a volatile backcourt pairing with Anthony Edwards, but with the entire Western Conference's future hinging on who can best neutralize Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama, the Timberwolves are lacking in a glaring area.
On paper, it's an equally perplexing move for the Hornets, who established a solid offensive identity around Ball. But with a pricey extension potentially looming, the Hornets opted to embrace a youth movement headlined by Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller. Reid should also help the Hornets bolster an already intimidating post game (which saw them allow the fewest boards in the league) and they took their first steps in replacing Ball by drafting Texas Tech sharpshooter Christian Anderson at the end of the lottery. Trading Ball is a significant move, but it's at least one where there was a concrete plan for what came next.
LaMelo Ball is 1 of just 3 players to average 20+ PPG and 7+ APG in each of the last five seasons, alongside Luka Dončić and Nikola Jokić. pic.twitter.com/4aEdCoFEXx
— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) June 25, 2026
Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags
