Milwaukee Bucks general manager Jon Horst opened his post-draft news conference Thursday night by telling reporters he would not address the pending deal that would send Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat.
“Good evening, everybody. Thanks for hanging around. Exciting night, exciting few days. Look forward to taking questions for a few minutes,” Horst said before adding a firm disclaimer. “Before I start, just to be clear, until trades are approved by the league, we’re not allowed to comment on anything. So there won’t be conversations about that.”
Horst never mentioned Antetokounmpo or Miami by name, but the message was clear. ESPN had reported the previous night that Milwaukee and Miami reached an agreement to trade Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis for Tyler Herro, 2024 lottery pick Kelel Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., 2025 first-round pick Kasparas Jakucionis and multiple future draft assets.
Because NBA trades cannot become official until the new league year begins in July, team officials are prohibited from publicly discussing any unapproved transactions. That league rule left Horst unable to comment on what would be the most significant move in franchise history, creating a brief but awkward scene on draft night in Milwaukee.
The general manager proceeded to answer questions about the Bucks’ first-round selection and other draft matters, steering clear of the blockbuster that dominated headlines across the league.
Source: Hoops Wire
