Adam Schefter Compares Jimmy Haslam’s Giannis and Myles Garrett Trades. He Might Have a Point.

Jimmy Haslam traded two of the best players in their respective sports within a month. And according to Adam Schefter, that’s actually a smart move.

The Milwaukee Bucks finally sent Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat on Monday night, ending months of speculation that had both the Heat and the Boston Celtics circling like sharks. The deal is massive. The Bucks got Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware, Kasparas Jakucionis, and a pile of draft picks — including the 13th overall pick in Tuesday’s NBA draft, first-rounders in 2031 and 2033, a pick swap in 2030, and a second-rounder in 2033.

That’s a lot of future assets for a guy who turns 32 this December. By the time those picks roll around, Antetokounmpo will be pushing 40 and the Heat’s championship window will almost certainly be closed. Those picks could end up being lottery tickets.

Schefter, speaking on his podcast Tuesday, drew a direct line between this trade and the Cleveland Browns’ decision to ship Myles Garrett to — wait for it — the same Haslam family ownership group. Yes, Haslam owns both the Bucks and the Browns. So in 22 days, he traded Giannis and Garrett.

“In both cases, Jimmy Haslam had a disgruntled star who wanted out, who he felt like he had to deal,” Schefter said. “And in both cases, I think they got back a whole lot of compensation.”

He went further: “I know people like to rip on the Haslams, and that’s fine. But you cannot, in my mind, criticize either one of these deals. You cannot question the return the Haslams got for Myles Garrett or Giannis Antetokounmpo.”

Schefter is an NFL insider first, so it’s fair to wonder how deep his NBA knowledge runs. But his logic is hard to argue with. The Browns landed Jared Verse — already an elite edge rusher — plus a bunch of draft capital for Garrett. That’s a similar structure: star wants out, team extracts maximum value, restocks the cupboard.

Will fans be happy? Probably not. Trading a franchise icon rarely goes over well in the moment. But if those picks turn into difference-makers and the Heat don’t win multiple rings with Giannis, this will look a lot smarter than it feels right now.

Haslam’s teams just made two of the biggest trades in their sports in under a month. Schefter’s take: you can’t hate the return. And for once, the guy talking NFL makes a pretty good case for hoops, too.