Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis warms up before action against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center.
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
The first meeting between the Miami Heat and the Milwaukee Bucks in the upcoming season is expected to be emotional, to say the least. Giannis Antetokounmpo will face his former team for the first time, which will be a huge storyline.
Aside from Antetokounmpo, there is also Bobby Portis, who was included by the Bucks in the trade package for the two-time MVP. With the arrival of Antetokounmpo and Portis, the Heat had to make room, leading to the exit of Norman Powell, who signed a two-year, $45 million contract with the Chicago Bulls.
In a report from Fadeaway World's Mark Medina, Powell said he was keen on re-signing with the Heat, but he soon realized that it became unfeasible.
“We knew they wanted to get Giannis. We heard some rumblings that ‘Norm and Giannis sounds really good.' So I thought that was the path. But it seemed like they (Bucks) were like, ‘If you want Giannis, you have to take Bobby Portis.' I think that played a part with the CBA (collective bargaining agreement) rules and the hard cap with sending out money and receiving money,” said Powell.
Portis, however, did not appreciate it and called out Powell, albeit diplomatically.
“Yo, Norm, I always respected your game from a distance. We were in the same draft. Shoutout to 2015. Only about nine of us left, but keep my name out your mouth, brother. I ain't no throw-in piece. From champ to champ, respectfully, king. Be blessed, brother,” wrote Portis on X.
The 31-year-old forward had a productive six-year stint in Milwaukee, averaging 13.6 points and 8.0 rebounds in 24.8 minutes off the bench. He was a finalist for Sixth Man of the Year in 2022-2023 and 2023-2024.
Portis is expected to play a similar role for the Heat, as he tries to carry the team's thin second unit, which also features Pelle Larsson, Nikola Jovic, and Simone Fontecchio.
In exchange for Antetokounmpo and Portis, the Heat gave up Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, and draft capital.