EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsThe 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 on Thursday. Antetokounmpo visits Milwaukee for the first time with his new team on 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, won two MVP trophies and the championship in 2021.That game will also reunite Bam Adebayo with his 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 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 former Finals MVP will play his former Celtics teammates first in Philadelphia on Nov. 10. But Brown will make his return to the 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 on 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 is one of the most popular fans in Hornets franchise history and he 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 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 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 overall pick AJ Dybantsa will make his pro debut when Washington opens the season at home against Milwaukee on Oct. 21. Dybantsa faces No. 2 overall pick Darryn Peterson for the first time in the regular season on Feb. 27 at Utah.Dybantsa and Cooper Flagg, the last two No. 1 picks, will also square off against each other for the first time on Mar. 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.
