Giannis Antetokounmpo Opens the Door to a Possible Team Change
The two-time MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo, could be ready for a fresh start. League sources report that several teams have made aggressive offers to the Milwaukee Bucks, who are now seriously considering the possibility of a trade before the February 5th deadline. According to sources close to the situation, the Bucks seem more open than ever to listening to offers for Antetokounmpo. However, the organization has made it clear that they are in no rush to close a deal. They are willing to evaluate Antetokounmpo’s future during the offseason if their valuation is not met, which includes a top young talent and/or a considerable amount of draft picks. This strategy would allow the Bucks to evaluate the most attractive draft offers in June. Among the teams that have shown serious interest in Antetokounmpo are the Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, and Golden State Warriors. For months, Antetokounmpo has expressed to the Bucks his desire to separate after more than 12 years together, increasing the chances of a trade. Currently, the Bucks have an 18-27 record and are in 12th place in the Eastern Conference, raising doubts about their future direction. This has led to open and honest conversations between both parties. Milwaukee could get a lottery pick in the draft, as it owns the least favorable pick between its own and the New Orleans Pelicans’. Antetokounmpo, 31 years old, will be eligible to sign a four-year, $275 million supermax extension on October 1st. If he doesn’t sign an extension, he could become an unrestricted free agent in the 2027 offseason by declining a $62.8 million player option that summer. Because the upcoming season essentially functions as an expiration year on his contract, this increases his ability to decide where he wants to play. Any team willing to pay the high price in players and draft picks to acquire him will want to know if he is committed long-term. If he is traded in the offseason, Antetokounmpo would have to wait six months from the date of the agreement to sign the supermax extension.After the defeat against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Antetokounmpo made a direct assessment of the team’s current state.“I don’t know. I don’t know. I take it day by day.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo
The general manager, Jon Horst, coach Doc Rivers, and the team owners sold Antetokounmpo on the idea of competing for the title this season after trading for Damian Lillard for $113 million to sign Myles Turner for four years and $108 million. However, Antetokounmpo expressed his concern about the roster in the offseason. Antetokounmpo will miss the next few weeks due to a right calf strain suffered in the home loss against the Denver Nuggets on Friday. This is the same injury that kept him out for 24 days in December. He admitted that he played most of Friday’s game with the injury and wouldn’t have returned if the team were better positioned in the standings. He was also out for 11 days with a groin strain in November. He has accelerated his return to the lineup each time to try to help the Bucks save the season. Milwaukee has a 3-12 record in the games he has missed in 2025-26. When he got injured, Antetokounmpo predicted he would be out for four to six weeks. On Monday, Rivers did not want to speculate on when Antetokounmpo might return from his latest injury. Antetokounmpo, 10-time All-Star, led Milwaukee to its first championship in 50 years and holds the top spot in all major statistical categories in team history. He has always made it clear to the Bucks, in private conversations, that he loves the city and the franchise. Antetokounmpo and his agent, Alex Saratsis, have held conversations with Horst over the past nine months about whether the best option for the future is in Milwaukee or elsewhere.“We are not playing hard. We are not doing the right thing. We are not playing to win. We are not playing together. Our chemistry is not there. The guys are selfish, trying to look for their own shots instead of looking for the right shot for the team. The guys try to do it on their own.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo
