NBA: Why Miami Heat Can't Complete Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade Until July

Alongside being a huge Liverpool fan, Patrick also enjoys the pace of F1, the science of boxing, and the entertainment of WWE. Sign in to your GiveMeSport account Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is on the move, but despite a blockbuster trade deal with the Miami Heat, they will have to wait to complete the deal.

The trade was agreed on Monday evening, as the Bucks agreed on a deal which consisted of Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Kasparas Jakucionis, as well as a plethora of future drafts and trades for the franchise icon Giannis, as well as the 31-year-old Bobby Portis.

However, according to ESPN's Bobby Marks, the deal is on hold for now.

Marks took to X to explain why this is the case, as he posted: "Because of the current first apron restrictions, the Giannis trade to Miami cannot be finalised until July 6."

Essentially, what Marks is saying is that the various aprons in the salary cap limit have an effect on what can and cannot be done by teams when it comes to high salary totals. Teams have to be free of any restrictions caused by the salary cap first apron.

So, once the restrictions have been passed, the deal will be given the green light and should be completed.

Although these are just formalities, it still adds layers to one of the biggest trades in recent NBA history. Giannis has been at the Bucks for 13 years now, and is seen as one of the biggest names in the franchise.

However, one potential hiccup of this deal is that although the deal can't go through until July, the Heat has sent the Bucks the number 13 overall pick, which will be made a couple of weeks before.

The race to sign Giannis Antetokounmpo is seemingly over, with the Miami Heat beating off the Boston Celtics.

This, in theory, means that a drafted player will be presented with a Miami Heat hat knowing that they will begin their career with the Milwaukee Bucks.

The way this works is that the Bucks will inform the Heat on who they want to take as their 13th pick. That player will then be drafted by Miami before immediately moving to Milwaukee once the deal is officially signed and sealed.

It all seems very complicated, but many parts of the NBA Draft do. But, unless something drastic happens, Giannis will be presented as a Miami Heat player, and the Bucks will welcome on board a number of young stars, including the 13th overall pick.

Antetokounmpo was heavily linked with a move to the Boston Celtics. However, they were unwilling to meet the Bucks' terms, meaning Miami have managed to sweep in and get their hands on the superstar.