Giannis Antetokounmpo: Goodbye to the Bucks? Trade rumors shake up the NBA

MILWAUKEE – Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo could be considering a team change before the February 5 trade deadline. This was reported by league sources. Various franchises have presented offers to the Milwaukee Bucks, who for the first time are willing to listen to proposals for their star, although without haste to finalize an immediate transaction. The organization has made it clear that it will only consider a move if it receives in return elite young talent and/or a significant package of draft picks. Otherwise, Milwaukee would be willing to postpone any decision until the offseason, where more attractive offers could arise. Antetokounmpo, after more than 12 seasons with the franchise, would have informed the management that he believes the time has come to part ways. The Bucks are going through a complicated season, with a record of 18-27 and placed 12th in the East, which has generated open conversations between both parties about the future of the team. The Greek player will be eligible on October 1st to sign a four-year, US$275 million supermax extension, although without a new contract he could become a free agent in 2027, if he decides to decline his US$62.8 million player option. The contractual situation increases its influence on the outcome of a possible transfer, as any interested team will want long-term commitment guarantees.

I don’t know. I take it day by day

Antetokounmpo

After a recent defeat against Oklahoma City, the player went straight to evaluating the team’s situation:

We are not playing hard, we are not playing together. Our chemistry is not there

Antetokounmpo

Season marked by injuries and frustration

Antetokounmpo will miss several weeks after suffering a right calf strain, the same injury that sidelined him for 24 days in December. He was also previously limited by groin discomfort. Milwaukee is 15-15 with Giannis on the court and 3-12 without him, with a performance difference that reflects his enormous impact: the team is 15 points better per 100 possessions when the Greek player is in the game.

Despite the collective bad moment, Antetokounmpo maintains elite numbers:

• 28.0 points
• 10.0 rebounds
• 5.6 assists
• 64.5 % in field goals, the highest in history for a player averaging 25 points or more

A Historic Era in Milwaukee

Selected 15th in the 2013 Draft, Giannis is the Bucks’ all-time leader in points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and games played, as well as second in steals. He led Milwaukee to the NBA championship in 2021, the franchise’s first in 50 years, and has in his career:

• 2 MVP (2019, 2020)
• Defensive Player of the Year (2020)
• Most Improved Player (2017)
• 10 All-Star selections

Between 2018 and 2025, the Bucks recorded the best league record (368-187), but they have been eliminated in the first round during the last three postseasons, while their asset capital has been considerably reduced. According to sources, the uncertainty about Antetokounmpo’s future has generated internal tension and concern, with a growing feeling within the organization that “the writing is on the wall.” For the first time in his career, Giannis Antetokounmpo would be open to playing for another team, marking the possible end of one of the most successful eras in the history of the Milwaukee Bucks.