Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is “ready for a new home,” either at next week’s trade deadline or this offseason, reports ESPN’s Shams Charania.
According to Charania, multiple teams have made “aggressive” trade offers for Antetokounmpo and the Bucks have begun listening to those pitches. While rival clubs have gotten the sense that Milwaukee is more open than ever to weighing offers on or before February 5, the Bucks have conveyed that they’re willing to wait until the summer to address the forward’s future if their asking price isn’t met, Charania writes.
Sources tell ESPN that the Bucks are believed to be seeking “blue-chip young talent” and several draft picks in any deal involving the two-time MVP. Waiting until after the 2026 draft lottery to make a deal could give Milwaukee a clearer sense of exactly which picks teams are prepared to offer for Antetokounmpo, Charania notes.
Antetokounmpo told The Athletic earlier this month that he’ll “never” come out and say he wants a trade, and that it’s not in his nature to make such a request. However, Charania hears that Giannis and the Bucks have had “honest and open conversations” about the future and that the 31-year-old has suggested to the team “for months” that he thinks it may be time to part ways.
The Knicks reportedly spoke to the Bucks about a possible Antetokounmpo trade last offseason after Giannis identified New York as a preferred landing spot. Those talks didn’t go anywhere, but Ian Begley of SNY.tv tweets that the Knicks will be among the teams aggressively pursuing Giannis now that Milwaukee is apparently prepared to open up the bidding to a larger group of suitors.
The Heat will also be in pursuit of Antetokounmpo, tweets Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. As we relayed earlier today, a Marc Stein report named Miami as a possible frontrunner for the Greek star, with Stein citing a “vibe of confidence” coming from the Heat.
Although the Knicks and Heat will be among the teams trying to land Antetokounmpo, neither club is loaded with the type of draft assets that the Bucks would presumably be seeking in a blockbuster of this magnitude. The Knicks don’t currently have any tradable first-round picks, while Miami can offer just two first-rounders as a result of a protected 2027 pick owed to Charlotte that creates Stepien rule complications.
As Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron points out (via Twitter), both teams would be better equipped to pursue Giannis in the offseason, when the Heat could offer up to four first-round picks (one would be conditional) and the Knicks could offer two.
The Warriors are also considered a likely suitor for Antetokounmpo, with Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints referring to him as Joe Lacob‘s “dream” trade target. Golden State has indicated it would be willing to offer a package that includes Jimmy Butler (who recently suffered an ACL tear), Jonathan Kuminga, and multiple draft picks, sources tell Chris Mannix of SI.com.
The Warriors have traded their 2030 first-round pick with top-20 protection, but could still offer first-rounders in 2026, 2028, and 2032, and could even include that ’30 pick in a package by attaching 21-30 protection.
The Raptors are another club with legitimate interest in Giannis, Siegel adds. Toronto controls all of its future first-round selections.
Trade speculation has swirled around Antetokounmpo for years and has gained steam since last spring, when the Bucks were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for a third straight year as star point guard Damian Lillard suffered an Achilles tear.
Milwaukee’s front office aggressively reshaped the roster around Giannis in the offseason, waiving and stretching the final two years of Lillard’s maximum-salary contract in order to bring in center Myles Turner, one of the top free agents on the market. But those moves haven’t paid dividends for the Bucks, who fell to 18-27 on the season on Tuesday and are three-and-a-half games out of a play-in spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Bucks have scoured the trade market during the season and made players like Kyle Kuzma and Bobby Portis available as they look to improve their roster, but they haven’t gained traction on any deal they like. Charania suggests Antetokounmpo’s uncertain future and Milwaukee’s lack of appealing trade assets have complicated that search for roster upgrades.
Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported over the weekend that rival teams believed the prospect of an Antetokounmpo trade was becoming more realistic. Reiterating that point today, Fischer says (via Twitter) multiple sources viewed last Wednesday’s loss to Oklahoma City – and Giannis’ comments after the game – as a point of no return for the Bucks and their longtime star.
Charania reported last week that Antetokounmpo’s frustration level was at an “all-time high” and writes within his latest story that the uncertainty around the forward’s future has resulted in some unease and tension in the Bucks’ locker room.
Antetokounmpo is currently sidelined by a calf strain and appears unlikely to suit up again before next Thursday’s trade deadline. The Bucks haven’t provided a projected timeline for his recovery, but Giannis predicted after sustaining the injury last Friday that he’d be out for four-to-six weeks.
With Milwaukee struggling to win games and Antetokounmpo not expected to play anytime soon, the team could be incentivized to pivot to tanking mode – with or without a Giannis trade – during the second half of the season in order to secure a favorable pick in the 2026 draft. The Bucks don’t control their own selection, but they’ll have the last favorable of the Pelicans’ first-rounder and their own — given that New Orleans holds a 12-37 pick, even the lesser of those two picks should end up firmly in the lottery.
Antetokounmpo is earning $54.1MM this season, with a guaranteed $58.5MM salary for 2026/27 and a $62.8MM player option for ’27/28. He’ll be eligible to sign a new maximum-salary extension as of this October.
Apparently there has been significant offers so far. It will be interesting to see how all of this develops. Especially since the trade deadline is next Thursday
Quickley or RJ,Poetl, 3 firsts for Giannis.
OKC won’t make it look like they are in a panic with the injury to JDub and spurs won’t relinquish their youth movement for Giannis. Knicks management don’t wanna seem like they were wrong to acquire KAT so I don’t see them making that move. Hawks can put their name in the hat but are hawks a contender with Giannis???? Heat don’t have enough picks, I doubt pistons get involved. Dubs management are stubborn. Only way I deal RJ is for a superstar.
Sixers should be in on this. They have some young talent and draft assets
A bit of a long shot, but it could / would be a fun trade scenario:
Sixers receive:
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Nikola Topić
Bucks receive:
Draymond Green
Jonathan Kuminga
Al Horford
Luguentz Dort
Jared McCain
Warriors receive:
Joel Embiid
Thunder receive:
Myles Turner
+ draft picks?
All the best from Sweden 🇸🇪
I doubt the thunder would want Turner, especially if it means giving up Dort
Wonder if GSW can get in the deal with 3 or 4 teams and Kuminga bring back somebody good?
Giannis > Jimmy, Dray and Kuminga
Giannis doesn’t want to be on the warriors.
The Warriors will have to include at least two first round picks if they want a good player.
The ideal situation is Jimmy Butler gets sent out too because of his massive contract.
Multi-team trade:
GSW gives up: Draymond, Buddy, Kuminga, GP2 and 3 FRP and pick swaps
GSW receives: Giannis and Thanasis
I been saying this for months now….
You have to first ask Kerr if he’s willing to even play him since that seems to be a growing problem for him
Well that certainly is an offer
Spurs should enter the sweepstakes
Barnes expiring contract
Olynk expiring contract
Dylan Harper
Jeremy Sochan
First and pick swaps
If Knicks want to raise a real banner, they should call up other teams as well and do a multi team deal.
That’s the only way they will get Giannis. We all know no teams want to help Knicks get Giannis. Unless Silver helps like he helped Lakers get Luka. It ain’t happening.
Knicks lack draft picks is the problem and lack of young talented players. They would need to bring in other teams and receive picks and young players to spin to the Bucks.
Yup only way. And help from NBA can’t hurt. OG and Towns can fetch that. I just don’t see teams helping Knicks. Knicks do have all their picks except 2027 #1 pick. I rather have Sabonis or Jackson. Cheaper and more realistic.
I have this feeling this won’t work out well for the team acquiring him. I didn’t realize he is 31 already. And his game (unlike, say, Jokic or even Doncic) is incredibly taxing and physical. He’s still obviously spectacular, but VERY real chance some team thinks they’re gonna win a couple chips by acquiring and extending him, and it turns out he’s injured half the time and starts to decline in effectiveness within a year or two. And they’ve sent away five or six potential building blocks for the future.
It’s a huge gamble for a team already with a bright future like OKC or Spurs. Giannis has had a lot of injuries last few years and hasn’t been available in the playoffs.
Correct… he doesn’t have a Jump Shot to fall back on as his other skills and athleticism start to decline. He can’t “re-invent” himself as someone like Jordan did with his pull-up midrange, post up, or back you down, fade-a-way game.
Freight train or bust.
This is an absolute fact. So the young teams who are already good are not in play here.
Only a desperate team will acquire him and that means the Warriors, that means the kings, that means the Knicks.
The only teams up for a trade for this guy are teams on their last legs or looking for one more push or on the doorstep. They need one more guy instead of their current big $$ guy. Not sure if the wolves are in this group or not.
I hope Cronin (POR GM) is between Pat Riley and his ability to get Giannis. Payback is a b;♤€♧.
Hawks will give your Zack, Porz, and maybe a player to be named later, but no picks. He’s a wounded warrior so you can’t be too greedy.
Dumb
I don’t see how the Knicks or Heat have the pieces to make this work. Their picks won’t be lottery picks and they lack blue chip young talent. The Spurs seem like the most logical landing spot as they could easily part with someone like Harper or Castle and still be loaded.
I think he’ll be easier to trade for then we think. This won’t be Desmond Bane and five first round picks.
Spurs have the assets (young talent) and picks. Would a Harper/Vassel/Barnes and three picks get it done? Would they be ok with including Cassie instead of Harper? That would be a big gamble for a 31 yo Giannis often injured last few years.
Knick’s don’t have the assets, neither do the Warriors. OKC needs to shed payroll next year, snd I doubt they’d be willing to give up JDub or Holmgren, plus a Caruso for Giannis.
Toronto and Chicago will not be able to keep Gianni’s, as he has only one more year on his contract.
So either Spurs kind of situation, where Gianniis may be willing to stay the rest of his career, or this goes to the off season.
OKC has endless draft capital and assets to move. I’m guessing that’s where he ends up.
In a surprise to no one….
I think there’s no way around contacting or involving Portland. They control the Bucks’ future with the 2028/29/30 first-round picks. I don’t think Giannis will end up in Portland, but Portland will be involved.
The CBA is way over my head but I suspect it’s going to rain on a lot of these trade ideas. Between second aprons and trade kickers, I can see why Miami likes their chances, since they have some exceptions to absorb salary. If the Bucks are questioning GA’s longevity, those ’30 and ’32 picks, along with a ’31 swap, could look pretty good.
Bucks should have moved him at draft …… now the Spurs don’t need him really.
Thunder and Spurs can make the best offers for Giannis. At this point do they even want to.
Giannis wants to contend. So there aren’t more than a few teams that can offer that. Only way Knicks can do this. Is by trading OG and Towns to other teams. Imo getting Sabonis is probably easier and more realistic. Definitely expect teams to make offers though. Should be interesting week coming.
Can Kerr PLEASE be included in any package that the Warriors put together.