Giannis officially joins Heat; Warriors re-sign guards Melton and Payton
Plus: The two-time MVP becomes Miami's second star after the NBA green-lights the blockbuster trade at the start of the transaction period.
TL;DR
- Giannis officially joins Heat after NBA approves trade; Heat gave up Herro, Ware, Jaquez, four first-round picks to get the two-time MVP.
- Warriors retain guard depth, re-signing Melton to a two-year, $11 million deal with a player option and Payton to a one-year, $3.9 million veteran minimum.
Trades and roster moves
Giannis officially becomes a Heat; Warriors retain guards
The Miami Heat officially acquired two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo on Monday when the NBA signed off on the trade at the start of the 2026-27 transaction period. While the Heat and Milwaukee Bucks agreed to terms on June 23, the deal couldn't close until the cap calendar turned. Miami sent Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakučionis, the No. 13 draft pick, first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, a 2030 pick swap, and a 2033 second-round pick (via Yahoo Sports).
Melton and Payton return to Warriors. The Golden State Warriors re-signed guard De'Anthony Melton to a two-year, $11 million deal with a player option in the second season, retaining one of their backcourt staples. Melton declined a $3.4 million player option to test free agency but stayed put (via Washington Post).
Payton agreement seals Warriors depth. Gary Payton II agreed to a one-year, $3.9 million veteran-minimum contract to return to Golden State. The re-signings mean the Warriors retained ten of the twelve players who logged the most minutes last season (via NBC Sports Bay Area).
