ESPN, and NBA insider Shams Charania in particular, was a driving force behind the long-lasting rumors that Giannis Antetokounmpo would demand a trade away from the Milwaukee Bucks. Of course, a trade finally did come to fruition, as the two-time NBA MVP was sent to the Miami Heat.
While a trade involving the Bucks and Giannis did eventually happen, it has not changed the fact that many fans around the NBA have accused the sports media company of being anti-Milwaukee. Unfortunately, Charania and ESPN did little to dispel these attitudes with the reporting of a major trade in the NBA last night that involved the Bucks.
ESPN published a Shams Charania trade report that included a glaring error
Last night, there was a major six-team trade in the NBA that was headlined by three-time All-Star Khris Middleton agreeing to a sign-and-trade that sent him from the Dallas Mavericks back to the Washington Wizards. For Middleton, it will be his second stint with Washington, to whom the Bucks traded him midway through the 2024-25 NBA season.
Milwaukee was part of the six-team trade. They sent Gary Harris and Taurean Prince to the Detroit Pistons for Caris Levert and two second round picks
And, for a few moments, it was also believed that they had received one of their own former draft picks, AJ Johnson, and cash, in the deal.
In the original report written by Charania and posted by ESPN, it was written, “Dallas also sends AJ Johnson to Milwaukee.”
After Bucks fans became excited about the reunion, though, multiple people started to question whether or not it was a typo. And as it turns out, it was:
“Worldwide leader” and can’t get basic trade details right
Garbage @espn pic.twitter.com/YdcS1hGoyl
— Bucks Lead (@BucksLead) July 8, 2026
Now, the report accurately states that Johnson has been traded to Memphis, and it is the Grizzlies who also receive the cash in the deal.
The story has been updated, it was a typo, AJ Johnson is headed to Memphis. pic.twitter.com/KYdjYDO26M
— Opp Pack Giannis (@OppPackGiannis) July 8, 2026
In all honestly, Johnson being sent back to Milwaukee never made much sense. They currently have six guards on their 15-man roster, and bringing back their former draft pick did not make much sense.
That being said, the glaring error in the report was an oversight, by both Charania and whoever edited the piece. It also left Bucks feeling like ESPN still has a bit of a vendetta against Milwaukee for retaining one of the biggest stars in the NBA for so long.
While that likely is not true, one cannot deny that the optics are not great.
