Giannis Reportedly ‘Ready For New Home’; Bucks Listening To Offers
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.
Heat May Have Best Chance For Giannis Antetokounmpo Deal By Deadline
There are mixed signals on the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade market, with sources from two teams telling Marc Stein of The Stein Line (subscription required) they believe a deal is possible before next week’s deadline, while a representative from another club expects the Bucks to wait until the offseason to get serious about parting with their franchise player.
League executives contacted by Stein consider the Heat to have the best chance at putting together a tempting deal for the Greek star. There’s also a “vibe of confidence” coming from Miami about a potential Antetokounmpo trade, according to Stein.
Stein states that the team’s best offer would be centered around Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware and draft assets.
Herro is coming off an All-Star season, but injuries have limited him to 11 games so far this year and he’s currently dealing with a rib issue. He is only 26 and under contract for one more season at $33MM, and he would provide a reliable scoring threat to replace much of the production Milwaukee would lose by parting with Antetokounmpo.
Ware could be a long-term foundational piece for the Bucks’ frontcourt. The second-year center has shown a lot of promise and is averaging 11.6 points and 9.8 rebounds per game at age 21, but he’s also been a frequent target of public criticism from Miami coach Erik Spoelstra. Ware has two seasons left on his rookie contract and will become eligible for an extension next summer.
Miami controls all its future first-round draft capital, except for a pick that was sent to Charlotte in last year’s Terry Rozier trade. That pick is lottery-protected in 2027 and unprotected in 2028.
It appears the weight of constant trade speculation surrounding Antetokounmpo — coupled with his continued absence due to a right calf strain — is having an effect on the Bucks, who fell to 18-27 with Tuesday’s loss to Philadelphia, Stein adds.
“I can’t wait until all the deadlines and stuff pass … because we’re Rumor Central,” coach Doc Rivers said. “It’s unbelievable. Some true, some not true. I don’t know what half of it is true, but it’s a distraction at times for sure.”
Kings Rumors: Ellis, Poeltl, Kuminga, DeRozan, LaVine
A “ton” of teams have called the Kings to inquire about Keon Ellis, according to James Ham of Locked On Kings (YouTube link), who identifies the Timberwolves, Pacers, Celtics, and Knicks as a few of the clubs his sources suggest are worth monitoring as suitors for the fourth-year guard.
“From what I have heard, (they) have all called on Keon Ellis,” Ham said.
Ellis is an intriguing trade candidate because his $2.3MM expiring contract makes him an attainable piece for just about any NBA team, including clubs like Minnesota, Boston, and New York, who are operating above the first tax apron. If he’s dealt, Ellis’ Bird rights would travel with him and he’d become extension-eligible on February 9, just a few days after the trade deadline.
One weekend report suggested Ellis is among the players most likely to be moved at the deadline, with the Kings said to be seeking a late first-round pick.
Here’s more on the Kings:
- Discussing the possibility of the Raptors making a play for center Domantas Sabonis, Ham said the Kings have “zero interest” in acquiring big man Jakob Poeltl, who has battled back issues this season and is under contract through 2029/30 (YouTube link). “‘We’re not getting into the Jakob Poeltl business’ is what I was told,” Ham said, though he observed that the same source didn’t say anything about the Kings not getting into the “RJ Barrett business.” Barrett was drafted by the Knicks when current Kings general manager Scott Perry was in New York’s front office.
- Responding to speculation that the Raptors would seek Ellis along with Sabonis in a trade with the Kings, Ham says a source told him “unequivocally” that Toronto and Sacramento haven’t discussed Ellis to this point.
- The Kings are no longer willing to include any draft picks in a trade offer Jonathan Kuminga, but they remain interested in the Warriors forward, Ham confirms (YouTube link). “I do know for a fact that the Sacramento Kings have offered, in the past, DeMar DeRozan straight up for Jonathan Kuminga,” Ham said. Golden State would need to include one more player in that hypothetical deal in order to stay below its hard cap, but it doesn’t sound like the Warriors have real interest in DeRozan anyway.
- Zach LaVine would “absolutely love to move on from Sacramento,” according to Ham (YouTube link), though his maximum-salary contract will be a major impediment. Ham suggests there was a “ray of hope” about a potential deal with the Bucks involving Kyle Kuzma and Bobby Portis, but that outcome seems less likely as a result of Milwaukee’s recent struggles and Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s latest calf strain.
Stein’s Latest: Towns, Holiday, Knicks, Davis, Eason
Steve Popper of Newsday reported last week that the Knicks have talked to multiple teams about the possibility of trading Karl-Anthony Towns. Ian Begley of SNY.tv and Sam Amick of The Athletic reported differently, stating that they haven’t heard any buzz about the Knicks discussing Towns trades.
Sources told Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscriber link) on Monday that the Knicks haven’t been “shopping” the 30-year-old or talking Towns trades with opposing teams. Bondy acknowledges that could change in the coming days, but he doesn’t expect the former No. 1 overall pick to be on the move by February 5.
According to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link), while New York’s front office has attempted to downplay Towns-related chatter, some rival teams believe that’s just posturing and that the five-time All-Star may be available under certain circumstances. At minimum, those clubs think the Knicks want to know what the market for Towns would look like, Stein writes.
Towns, 30, has averaged 20.5 points, 11.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists on .469/.364/.856 shooting through 42 games this season (31.6 minutes per contest). He’s under contract through 2027/28, including a $61MM player option in that final season.
Here are a few more trade rumors from Stein’s latest round-up:
- Stein has heard “rumbles” that the Knicks have explored the viability of trying to trade for Trail Blazers guard Jrue Holiday. Acquiring Holiday might make New York an even more appealing landing spot for his former Bucks teammates Giannis Antetokounmpo, according to Stein, who adds that the Knicks are said to be longtime fans of the six-time All-Defensive member and view him as a strong fit in the backcourt next to Jalen Brunson.
- Despite the external chatter about New York potentially weighing major moves, sources close to the Knicks have insisted to Stein that they’re more focused on small-scale deals involving Guerschon Yabusele, who makes $5.5MM this season and holds a $5.8MM player option for 2026/27.
- Anthony Davis appears unlikely to be traded prior to the deadline, Stein confirms. The Mavericks are expected to continue fielding offers for the injured big man over the next several days, but there doesn’t seem to be any momentum towards a deal and Stein hears the 10-time All-Star prefers to stay with Dallas for the remainder of the season.
- The Rockets have made Tari Eason off limits in trade talks ahead of the deadline, Stein reports. The 24-year-old forward, who has dealt with a variety of injuries over the past few seasons, is converting a career-high 46.6% from three-point range in ’25/26 and will be a restricted free agent in the summer.
- In case you missed it, we passed along several more rumors from Stein on Sunday.
Latest On Giannis Antetokounmpo
Head coach Doc Rivers confirmed that Giannis Antetokounmpo has been diagnosed with a right calf strain on Monday, but he claimed the Bucks don’t have a timeline for the two-time MVP’s return, per Steve Megargee of The Associated Press.
“There’s really no timetable,” Rivers said.
Antetokounmpo said he expected to be out four-to-six weeks after reinjuring his calf in Friday’s loss to Denver.
“I felt like I couldn’t explode,” Antetokounmpo said after the game. “I could jog. I couldn’t get on my toes, so I was kind of jogging on my heel the majority of the game. I didn’t have the same explosiveness, but I still felt like I could help. At the end, when it popped, I had to get out. I couldn’t walk.”
As Megargee notes, Antetokounmpo initially strained his right soleus — one of the muscles in the calf — on December 3, causing him to miss eight games last month. He has also strained his left calf multiple times, but Rivers said the Bucks haven’t considered shutting the 31-year-old down for the rest of the season.
“There’s no thought to that,” Rivers said. “But listen, there’s no timetable either.”
Here’s more on Antetokounmpo, whom rival teams believed the Bucks might make available before the injury:
- If the Bucks decide to listen to offers for Antetokounmpo prior to the trade deadline, which teams would be in the best position to pursue him? Bobby Marks of ESPN breaks down all 29 opposing teams into tiers, including a group of 10 clubs who have the most to offer Milwaukee. According to Marks, the Pistons, Raptors and Trail Blazers — in that order — stand out as three teams who would theoretically have the least difficulty trading for the Greek superstar.
- The Knicks were reportedly Antetokounmpo’s preferred destination last offseason. How could they pull off a trade for the 10-time All-Star? Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Substack link) explores that subject, writing that New York would likely need at least one additional team to act as a facilitator to make a deal work. Gozlan points to the Trail Blazers as a logical fit in that scenario, as they’re said to be fans of Mikal Bridges and control Milwaukee’s first-round picks from 2028-30.
- Henry Abbott of TrueHoop spoke to several NBA sources last week and all agreed the Bucks and Antetokounmpo appear destined to part ways, the only question is whether it will occur in the next 10 days or in the offseason. Abbott also heard a rumor that Antetokounmpo was considering firing his longtime agent Alex Saratsis over his inability to get his client traded, with Rich Paul apparently hoping to capitalize if that comes to fruition. Abbott acknowledges it’s hard to know what’s true and what isn’t, since he received conflicting feedback from his sources, but he notes that players only have to wait seven days to swap agents now instead of 15, so it’s possible it could still occur before the deadline. Saratsis was still listed as Antetokounmpo’s agent as of Monday, Abbott notes.
Stein’s Latest: Morant, Ellis, Marshall, Antetokounmpo, Bulls
The Grizzlies are still very open to trade offers on Ja Morant, who is expected to miss at least three weeks with an elbow sprain, Marc Stein writes in his latest column for The Stein Line (Substack link).
However, those hoping to buy low on the often-injured star point guard may have to recalibrate, as Stein reports that there is internal pressure facing the team to bring back more than the favorable contracts that the Hawks got in return for Trae Young.
Stein also speculates that, should Morant stay on the team past the trade deadline, there could be some level of friction between Morant and the Grizzlies’ head of basketball operations, Zach Kleiman. As Stein explains, in addition to making it clear that Morant was available, Kleiman backed coach Tuomas Iisalo when the point guard and coach butted heads earlier in the season. The team also didn’t offer the two-time All-Star an extension last offseason when he became eligible.
Morant has played just 20 games this season and is averaging a career-low 28.5 minutes per night, though he has matched his career high as a facilitator, dishing out 8.1 assists per game.
We have more from Stein’s latest newsletter:
- Keon Ellis has emerged as perhaps the most likely player to be traded at the deadline, Stein writes. Ellis has struggled to keep a consistent spot in the Kings‘ rotation, but reports have nevertheless indicated that there are a handful of teams targeting the defensive-minded guard, which has led Sacramento to set an asking price of a first-round pick for him. According to Stein, some sources believe that the Kings trading Ellis is almost certain to happen.
- Stein confirms previous reports that the Mavericks highly value Naji Marshall as a part of their post-Luka Doncic core, but that doesn’t mean Marshall is untouchable. Stein writes that the starting point on any trade offer for the versatile wing must be a first-round pick, as far as Dallas is concerned. He adds that Max Christie is another valued member of the core moving forward, and the team is focused on securing him a spot in the three-point contest, not finding a deal to move him.
- The Giannis Antetokounmpo trade landscape continues to be murky, especially following the announcement that he is likely to miss extended time due to a calf injury. According to Stein, multiple teams are still engaging with the Bucks in trade talks in the hopes of landing him at the trade deadline, injury notwithstanding.
- The Bulls are strongly expected to make a move involving one of their guards, Stein writes, with Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu the two most likely players to be on the move. He confirms Jake Fischer’s previous report that Nikola Vucevic could very well play out the season with the Bulls and depart in free agency this summer.
NBA Postpones Sunday’s Mavericks-Bucks Game Due To Weather
The Mavericks and Bucks won’t play on Sunday in Milwaukee, the NBA announced (Twitter link). The game will be rescheduled at a future date.
According to Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News, who first reported the news (via Twitter), the Mavericks were stuck on their team plane for multiple hours due to inclement weather in Dallas. The plane was still being de-iced as of 1:30 pm CT, Townsend adds (Twitter link).
Although it was floated as an outside possibility, the game will not be rescheduled for Monday, per Grant Afseth of DallasHoopsJournal.com (Twitter link). Townsend hears the most likely date for the rescheduled game is February 19.
The Mavericks are now deplaning in Dallas after the game was postponed, tweets Marc Stein of The Stein Line, who confirms the game is likely to be rescheduled after the All-Star break.
The Mavs-Bucks contest is the second game the league has rescheduled on Sunday due to the major storm in North America. The first was the Nuggets-Grizzlies matchup in Memphis.
Sunday’s Nuggets-Grizzlies Game Postponed Due To Weather
Sunday’s game between the Nuggets and Grizzlies has been postponed due to inclement weather in the Memphis area, the NBA announced (via Twitter).
The game will be rescheduled, though the date has yet to be determined, per the league.
A major winter storm has been impacting a large portion of North America since Saturday night and is expected to continue through Monday. The Mavericks originally planned to fly to Milwaukee after Saturday’s game against the Lakers but were unable to due to the weather in Dallas.
According to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Twitter link), the Mavericks are still on the team plane awaiting clearance to travel ahead of a 6:00 pm CT tipoff time against the Bucks. Depending on what happens in the next couple hours, that game may be postponed as well.
Trade Rumors: Morant, Antetokounmpo, Yabusele, Pelicans, Clippers
Injuries to two star players may be taking some of the excitement out of the trade deadline, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Grizzlies guard Ja Morant and Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo were expected to be two of the top names on the market, but Morant suffered an elbow sprain that will force him to miss at least three weeks and Antetokounmpo left Friday’s game with a right calf injury that he expects will keep him out of action for four-to-six weeks.
Bontemps notes that the market for Morant was already shaky, in part because of his availability issues. He has played just 20 games this season and 79 total over the past three years. Morant’s contract, which pays him $42.2MM next season and $44.9MM in 2027/28, also limits his trade value, along with his diminished shooting — he’s currently connecting at 41% from the field and 23.5% from three-point range.
If Antetokounmpo does miss several weeks, the Bucks’ season could be a “lost cause” by the time he returns, Bontemps adds. Already sporting an 18-26 record, it would be easy for Milwaukee to fall down the standings and focus on the draft rather than trying to make a run at the play-in tournament. That could result in a high selection in a year with a loaded draft class, while seeing if Antetokounmpo is willing to commit to signing an offseason extension.
There’s more trade news to pass along:
- The Knicks‘ strategy for the deadline will likely include trading away Guerschon Yabusele, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter video link). Begley is the latest media member to suggest the Spurs as a possible destination for Yabusele because of his experience playing alongside Victor Wembanyama on the French national team. Begley mentions Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado as a possible addition for New York, and he doesn’t believe Karl-Anthony Towns will be moved.
- Trading Alvarado could be one of several moves for the Pelicans, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints (Twitter link), who says New Orleans continues to get calls about Trey Murphy III, Herbert Jones and Saddiq Bey. No deals are close, but Siegel said there’s a belief around the league that the Pelicans will be active before the deadline.
- Head coach Tyronn Lue doesn’t expect the Clippers to be involved in any major deals, per Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link).“If a team’s trying to trade for you, then somebody wants you,” Lue said. “You could be in other guys’ shoes where nobody wants you, nobody wants to trade for you, and then you’re out of the league. … In our situation, I don’t see much movement. So I think we’ll be good.”
Rival Teams Believe Bucks Becoming More Willing To Part With Giannis Antetokounmpo
Before Giannis Antetokounmpo suffered a calf injury Friday night, momentum had been building toward a potential trade of the Bucks star before the February 5 deadline, sources tell Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (subscription required).
Antetokounmpo said two weeks ago that requesting a trade is “not in my nature,” and team officials have indicated that they plan to approach the deadline as buyers in hopes of upgrading their roster. However, Fischer states that the Bucks’ poor performance since then has led to “whispers circulating throughout the league” that an Antetokounmpo deal was becoming m0re realistic.
Milwaukee has dropped five of its last six and is currently two-and-a-half games away from the final play-in spot at 18-26. After falling Wednesday to Oklahoma City, Antetokounmpo said his team was playing “selfish” basketball, and ESPN’s Shams Charania stated during a recent appearance on the Pat McAfee Show that Giannis’ frustration level is at “an all-time high.”
Those comments have echoed throughout the league, according to Fischer, who hears from rival team officials and a few well-placed sources that speculation surrounding Antetokounmpo is the number one topic as the deadline approaches, far ahead of potential trades involving Ja Morant, Anthony Davis or Michael Porter Jr.
The impact of Antetokounmpo’s injury, which could sideline him for four-to-six weeks, was still being assessed at mid-day Saturday, Fischer adds. It’s not certain if his absence will lessen the offers Milwaukee gets heading into the deadline or if teams will be willing to strike now in hopes that he’ll be fully recovered after the All-Star break.
Regardless, Fischer cites a growing consensus that the Bucks and their best player are headed toward parting ways, with one source telling him, “This is shaping up to be a draft-day kind of thing.”
In the wake of the injury, Fischer expects Milwaukee to abandon its stated plan of aggressively trying to add talent on the trade market. League sources tell Fischer that the Bucks weren’t making much headway with deals centered around Kyle Kuzma and Bobby Portis, especially with few draft assets to offer. He notes that Porter, Zach LaVine, De’Andre Hunter, Jerami Grant and Miles Bridges are among the players who have been reported as possible trade targets.
Teams are also reluctant to help the Bucks improve when they might benefit from an eventual Antetokounmpo trade, Fischer adds. Among those teams is Portland, which owns draft picks from Milwaukee in 2028, 2029 and 2030 that could be useful in helping to facilitate a deal sending Antetokounmpo to another team. Fischer states that the Trail Blazers have long been fans of Mikal Bridges and could be incentivized to help the Knicks land Antetokounmpo if they’re able to get Bridges in return.