The NBA's schedule has plenty of intrigue in January with the highly anticipated returns of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jaylen Brown to their respective former homes.
The league released its entire schedule Thursday. Antetokounmpo visits Milwaukee for the first time with his new team Jan. 28 when the Miami Heat play at the Fiserv Forum. It certainly will be an emotional homecoming for Antetokounmpo, who spent his first 13 seasons with the Bucks, winning two MVP trophies and the 2021 championship.
That game will also reunite Bam Adebayo with former teammate Tyler Herro, who was in the Heat trade for Antetokounmpo. Herro and Adebayo were involved in an altercation in Las Vegas during summer league when Adebayo struck his former teammate.
Herro, Kel'el Ware and Jaime Jaquez Jr. -- all sent to Milwaukee in the trade -- will return to Miami when the Bucks play the Heat on Feb. 4.
The league's schedule release also revealed Brown's return to Boston. The 2024 Finals MVP will play his former Celtics teammates in Philadelphia first, on Nov. 10. But Brown will make his return to TD Garden on Jan. 21, when LeBron James will also play at Boston, his old rival from his Cleveland days, for the first time as a Sixer.
Celtics fans were not thrilled with the franchise's decision to trade Brown within the division for Paul George, two first-round picks (2028, 2031) and two second-round selections (2028, 2030). Boston fans were hoping to get a bigger haul for Brown, who spent his first 10 seasons with the Celtics and averaged a career-high 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists while Jayson Tatum was out for much of last season.
Another juicy reunion will take place Jan. 29 when the Charlotte Hornets play at Minnesota and see their old point guard, LaMelo Ball. The Hornets stunned many around the league when they traded their star point guard after enjoying the second-best turnaround in the league last season and becoming one of the hottest teams in the league after Jan. 1, missing the playoffs by one game when they lost to Orlando in the play-in.
Ball, one of the most popular fan favorites in Hornets franchise history, will return to play at Charlotte on Feb. 15.
Another return to keep an eye on is when Trae Young and the Washington Wizards play at Atlanta on Nov. 6. Young technically returned to Atlanta last season after the Hawks traded their franchise point guard to Washington, but he was injured and did not play. Atlanta still gave Young a video tribute, though, and the point guard received a big ovation from Hawks fans. But playing at Atlanta, where he spent seven-plus seasons, for the first time could be emotional for Young.
The Wizards' No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa will make his pro debut when Washington opens the season at home against Milwaukee on Oct. 21. Dybantsa will face No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson in the regular season for the first time Feb. 27 at Utah.
Dybantsa and Cooper Flagg, the most recent two No. 1 picks, will square off against each other for the first time March 11 when the Wizards visit Dallas.
The defending champion New York Knicks have their Finals rematch against the San Antonio Spurs on Christmas Day at Madison Square Garden and will travel to play at San Antonio on March 7.