The Milwaukee Bucks are weighing their options for the future, with or without Giannis Antetokounmpo. While Giannis has not formally requested a trade and the team is hesitant to move him, their struggle just to reach the play-in tournament highlights that the current roster offers little chance of contending for a title right now.
Bleacher Report writer Grant Hughes believes the Bucks will only be able to move forward once they have traded Antetokounmpo.
“Until it resolves itself in a trade, the Giannis Antetokounmpo situation will remain the Milwaukee Bucks’ defining feature. All other angles—a refusal to offensive rebound, an inability to get to the foul line, Ryan Rollins’ emergence—just won’t get the same shine as long as the two-time MVP’s future remains undecided,” the NBA insider wrote in his article.
Bucks failed attempts at building a contender around Giannis Antetokounmpo
Nov 17, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Kyle Kuzma (18) and forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) celebrate in the first quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images
Since their 2021 NBA Finals title with Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the way, the Bucks have made several attempts to build a supporting cast around him. Unfortunately, none of those iterations have been able to replicate that championship success.
Efforts to surround Giannis with stars like Damian Lillard. Now, even with Kyle Kuzma and Myles Turner, the strategy is failing, as the Bucks have slid into the lottery zone of the standings.
Nov 10, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) celebrates with Milwaukee Bucks center Myles Turner (3) during the third quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
“For the moment, Antetokounmpo is outwardly committed to the Bucks. Nobody fully buys that because Giannis is playing the “you didn’t hear it from me” card when asked about rumors he’d like to chase championships elsewhere—an excuse that rings hollow because Antetokounmpo’s representation keeps letting word slip to certain national reporters that his client is open to moving.”
The Bucks could still rebound and climb the standings in the second half of the season, but it’s difficult to see them reaching the top, where the Detroit Pistons and New York Knicks have been firmly in control.