NBA rumors surfaced at the start of the offseason that Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo could request a trade, wanting to be moved to a championship contender following the Achilles injury suffered by Damian Lillard. After weeks of waiting for a decision, NBA teams have seemingly got their answer.
Appearing on Get Up this past week, NBA insider Brian Windhorst reported that teams around the league have “come to terms with the realization” that Antetokounmpo isn’t going to request a trade. As a result, Milwaukee will give zero consideration to moving him.
Related: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Eastern Conference team had mutual interest
Giannis Antetokounmpo stats (ESPN): 30.4 PPG, 11.9 RPG, 6.5 APG, 60.1% FG, 1.2 BPG
Milwaukee made it known to teams around the league that it wouldn’t move the two-time NBA MVP unless he specifically wanted out. Instead, the team planned to convince him on a plan to retool the roster so they could eventually re-emerge as contenders in the Eastern Conference.
Windhorst and Tim Bontemps also reported for ESPN that Antetokounmpo was “presented” with a plan for next season by head coach Doc Rivers and general manager Jon Horst. While limited details from that proposal were made public, the theme centered around keeping a majority of the Bucks’ core together.
Read More: Best NBA players right now
Giannis Antetokounmpo contract (Spotrac): $54.125 million cap hit (2025-’26), $56.456 million cap hit (2026-’27), $62.786 million player option in 2027
Milwaukee’s pitch that it could quickly turn things around is in part helped by the recent fallout in the Eastern Conference. The Boston Celtics plan to overhaul their roster following the Achilles injury suffered by Jayson Tatum. Meanwhile, Cleveland Cavaliers‘ guard Darius Garland is poised to miss the start of next season following surgery to address a lingering toe injury.
The Bucks front office has limited assets to work with, significantly limiting their ability to improve the roster. However, NBA teams have seemed to realize that Antetokounmpo’s loyalty to the organization that drafted him will stand in the way of a trade request.
NFL, MLB & college football writer for Sportsnaut. Graduated from San Diego State University with BA in Journalism, 2019. ... More about Matt Johnson