Amdist a rather underwhelming season for the Milwaukee Bucks, rumors speculating that two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo could be traded have shrouded over their campaign.
With the trade deadline less than a month away, the haunting idea has terrified fans in Wisconsin for some time. However, the ‘Greek Freak’ insists that not only has he never requested a trade, but that he would never do so.
Following the Bucks’ loss to the Golden State Warriors on Jan. 7, Antetokounmpo told The Athletic ‘There will never be a chance, and there will never be a moment that I will come out and say, ‘I want a trade.’
‘My plan is to be here for the rest of my career,’ he reiterated. However, he did not entirely dismiss the possibility of playing elsewhere. He continued, ‘If they don’t want me…I’m not the one in charge.’
Was Antetokounmpo ever considered a trade target?
While many teams likely called the Bucks inquiring about their star forward amidst their poor season, the Bucks have said they have never considered trading Antetokounmpo and were instead insistent on trying to build around him as they’ve done in years past.
That said, reports prior to the start of the season claimed that the New York Knicks and Milwaukee Bucks discussed a potential trade for Antetokounmpo, with New York emerging as Antetokounmpo’s preferred destination.
Giannis admitted that he would have liked going to New York, but later claimed that he’d changed his mind before the start of the 2025-26 season.
What does Antetokounmpo’s contract look like?
Antetokounmpo is in the middle of a three-year, $175 million contract that runs through the end of the 2027-28 season. However, there is an opt-out clause in his contract following the 2027 campaign. Furthermore, Antetokounmpo, 31, is eligible for a four-year, $275 million contract on Oct. 1, 2026, meaning he could be a prime sign-and-trade candidate once the upcoming offseason rolls around if any team wanted to secure him long-term.
What else did Antetokounmpo say about the trade deadline?
Antetokounmpo reiterated that he is ‘one million percent committed to [his] teammates, to [his] craft, and to [Milwaukee].’ He continued, ‘I look only to the next game, which is the Lakers, and I want to win the game. I want us to stack wins before the All-Star Game to get ourselves back to the race. We’re what, 11th now? This is not who we are, you know? So that’s the only thing in my mindset.’