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With Giannis Antetokounmpo added to the mix, the Heat could boast one of the best defensive frontcourts in the league.<\/p>\n
Free agency<\/a> ain\u2019t what it used to be, with most star players signing extensions well before their contracts expire. But that doesn\u2019t mean that NBA offseasons aren\u2019t eventful.<\/p>\n This summer\u2019s player movement has already kicked off with two major trades: the Miami Heat reportedly acquiring two-time Kia MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo<\/a> and the Minnesota Timberwolves reportedly sending three-time All-Star Julius Randle<\/a> to Brooklyn.<\/p>\n There are certainly more trades to come, and there will be some free agents changing teams. So consider this to be Part 1 of a player-movement notebook for the summer of 2026.<\/p>\n 1. The Heat need shooting<\/p>\n To Miami: Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis<\/p>\n To Milwaukee: Tyler Herro, Kasparas Jaku\u010dionis, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel\u2019el Ware, No. 13 pick (Nate Ament), two future first-round picks, a pick swap and a future second-round pick<\/p>\n The Heat have acquired the only player<\/a> in NBA history to have averaged at least 24 points, nine rebounds, five assists and one block per game over his career. Antetokounmpo is one of the best downhill attackers we\u2019ve ever seen.<\/p>\n Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo will also be the best defensive frontcourt in the league. But the offensive fit isn\u2019t great, with the two bigs having combined to shoot 39% from mid-range and 32% from 3-point range over the last three seasons.<\/p>\n The good news is that the Heat can stagger their two stars\u2019 minutes, so that they have at least one on the floor at all times and the fit issue is minimized. But it would help if they had more shooters to surround them with.<\/p>\n There were 154 players<\/a> (5.1 per team) who shot the league average (36.0%) or better on at least 100 3-point attempts this past season. The Heat had seven of them, but only one of those seven (Davion Mitchell) is currently under contract with Miami for next season. They just traded three of the seven \u2013 Herro, Jaku\u010dionis and Ware \u2013 to Milwaukee, getting another above-average 3-point shooter (Portis) in return.<\/p>\n If Andrew Wiggins exercises his player option, that would give the Heat three guys who shot the league average or better from 3-point range last season. Two other shooters \u2013 Norman Powell and Simone Fontecchio \u2013 are unrestricted free agents.<\/p>\n Even if they can retain both those players, the Heat may need more shooting to complement their new star. Over his 14-year career, 52% of Antetokounmpo\u2019s assists have come on 3-pointers. That\u2019s the third-highest rate among 468 players with at least 1,000 assists in the 30 years for which we have play-by-play data, and it was 69% this past season.<\/p>\n 2. The Bucks have some youth Jaime Jaquez Jr. is one of the key new youngsters in Milwaukee.<\/p>\n One big issue with the Bucks\u2019 fall-off this past season was that there was little hope regarding the development of young players on the roster. While every other team got more than 1,300 minutes from first or second-year players in 2025-26, the Bucks got \u2026 318.<\/p>\n Fewest minutes from rookies or second-year players, 2025-26<\/p>\n Team Milwaukee Los Angeles Lakers Denver Minnesota New York %MIN = Percentage of total minutes coming from rookies and second-year players<\/p>\n Those 318 minutes<\/a> came from undrafted rookies Cormac Ryan, Mark Sears (who was waived in January) and Alex Antetokounmpo, all of whom were on two-way contracts. So they didn\u2019t have a single first or second-year player on their primary roster.<\/p>\n Now, a youth movement is in place. When the trade is completed, the Bucks will have rookies Brayden Burries and Nate Ament, Jaku\u010dionis (entering his second season), Ware (entering his third season) and fourth-year forward Jaquez.<\/p>\n 3. Pistons move on from Stewart<\/p>\n To Detroit: 3 second-round picks<\/p>\n To Memphis: Isaiah Stewart<\/p>\n Stewart is one of the best interior defenders in the league. Last season, opponents shot just 106-for-242<\/a> (43.8%) at the rim when Stewart was there to protect it. That was the best rim-protection mark for any player who defended at least 200 shots at the basket in the 13 seasons for which we have tracking data, and Stewart also has the fifth-best mark.<\/p>\n Best rim protection, 200+ FGA, since 2013-14<\/p>\n Player Isaiah Stewart Chet Holmgren Roy Hibbert Andrew Bogut Isaiah Stewart FGM, FGA, FG% = Opponent field goal makes, attempts and percentage at the rim when player is there.<\/p>\n But the Pistons were willing to trade Stewart for just three second-round picks. Some possible reasons \u2026<\/p>\n The trade frees up cap space for the Pistons to pursue some perimeter offense (maybe the aforementioned Powell) in free agency.<\/p>\n Despite the elite rim protection, the Pistons were much better<\/a> with Stewart off the floor (plus-11.3 points per 100 possessions) than they were with him on the floor (plus-1.8 per 100) in the regular season. And they scored less than a point per possession<\/a> in his 165 minutes on the floor in the playoffs.<\/p>\n Over the Pistons\u2019 14 playoff games, Stewart played just four minutes alongside Jalen Duren. So his role became more limited at the most important time of year.<\/p>\n Paul Reed (in limited minutes) has been a capable third-string center and should be able to take over Stewart\u2019s backup role.<\/p>\n 4. Lakers will keep winning free-throw battles<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
\nRookie
\n2nd Year
\nTotal
\n%MIN<\/p>\n
\n318
\n0
\n318
\n2%<\/p>\n
\n195
\n1,163
\n1,358
\n7%<\/p>\n
\n298
\n1,451
\n1,749
\n9%<\/p>\n
\n350
\n1,832
\n2,182
\n11%<\/p>\n
\n634
\n1,555
\n2,189
\n11%<\/p>\n
\nSeason
\nFGM
\nFGA
\nFG%<\/p>\n
\n2025-26
\n106
\n242
\n43.8%<\/p>\n
\n2024-25
\n88
\n200
\n44%<\/p>\n
\n2013-14
\n208
\n463
\n44.9%<\/p>\n
\n2014-15
\n146
\n323
\n45.2%<\/p>\n
\n2024-25
\n148
\n322
\n46%<\/p>\n