The Golden State Warriors have not only lost out on Giannis Antetokounmpo, but also another long-rumored target in veteran forward Bobby Portis as a result of Monday night's blockbuster trade between the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat.
Portis will join Antetokounmpo in Miami in the six-player deal first reported by ESPN's Shams Charania, with the Heat landing Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionas and a host of draft capital.
Warriors lose out on Bobby Portis as well as Giannis
Portis had been linked to the Warriors at different points over recent years, including last offseason by NBA insider Jake Fischer of The Stein Line. When Golden State were showing strong interest in an Antetokounmpo trade before February's mid-season deadline, there was a strong chance they would have taken Portis or center Myles Turner back in addition to the superstar forward.
In the end it's the Heat who've acquired Portis as part of their blockbuster Antetokounmpo move, with the 31-year-old likely to be a key part of a rotation that's been significantly shortened as a result of this 4-for-2 trade.
Portis has averaged at least 13.7 points in each of his past five years, proving one of the more consistent and best bench scorers in the league which included shooting 45.6% from 3-point range this past season.
The 6'9" forward is still owed just over $30 million on the final two years of the three-year, $44.4 million deal he signed with the Bucks last season. It's unlikely Golden State would have had much interest this offseason, but the past links means it shouldn't have been completely ruled out until now.
Warriors could still benefit from Bucks trading Giannis
It will be fascinating to see what else is in store for Milwaukee after trading the face of their franchise. By not accepting the Boston Celtics offer centred around Jaylen Brown, and by taking the Heat's package of young players and draft capital, they've signalled they're ready to tear it all down and start again.
Turner surely has to be on the move if another team is prepared to take on the remaining three years of his contract, while it's worth monitoring whether any of the incoming players are re-routed to other teams.
The Warriors may still be able to benefit in a trade with the Bucks, or via free agency where the likes of Gary Trent Jr. and Taurean Prince are now much more likely to opt out of their player options and hit the open market.
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