The Milwaukee Bucks are 17-24 on the season, currently 11th in the NBA Eastern Conference, and one of the most talked-about teams as the February 5 trade deadline nears. Of course, many of the trade rumors that involve the Bucks center around two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, despite the fact that he has come out and explicitly stated that he will not ever request a trade away from Milwaukee.
Whether or not he will sign another contract extension when he is eligible to in October of this year is an entirely different matter.
With Giannis presumably staying put, then, many NBA trade rumors have involved the Bucks targeting another superstar-esque player to pair with him. One of these rumors, however, can quickly be put to rest.
The Milwaukee Bucks are not interested in Ja Morant
Dec 26, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) shoots during the fourth quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
One of the more high-profile players that is openly being shopped ahead of the NBA trade deadline is controversial Memphis Grizzlies star point guard Ja Morant. For a while, the Bucks were named as a potential destination for Morant, but recent reports from ESPN insiders suggest that Milwaukee is not interested.
Today’s The Hoop Collective with @WindhorstESPN and @TimBontemps: Ja Morant’s spectacular return and soft trade market, Giannis hope has teams on hold, key injury updates and Lakers issues https://t.co/Pji2wY2uAp
— Tim MacMahon (@BannedMacMahon) January 19, 2026
During their initial discussion of Morant and the trade market for him, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps said that the Miami Heat’s interest in Morant was “overstated”. And then he added, “I would also say ‘overstated’ is a good word to describe the possibility of Ja Morant to the Bucks.”
When asked if this was definitive, Bontemps said that he stopped saying “Never” after Luka Doncic was traded by the Dallas Mavericks last season. However, he then stated, “I feel confident that Morant will not be a Heat [player], and he will not be a Buck.”
This latest reports supports previous stories that suggest the only players Milwaukee is interested in adding via trade are high-character guys, of which Morant is not.
For More Great Wisconsin Sports Content
Follow me on Twitter at@theotherRobin19 and follow us@WiSportsHeroics for more great content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in Wisconsin sports,click here!