The Giannis Antetokounmpo situation continues to hover over theMilwaukee Bucks.
The 2026 deadline is getting nearer, and while Antetokounmpo is dealing with a calf strain injury that sidelines him indefinitely, there’s just no stopping the rumors from including his name in several possibletrade equations.
At the end of the day, it is up to general manager Jon Horst and the rest of the Bucks’ decision makers to make a final decision on whether to put Antetokounmpo on the trade block or keep him in the fold for at least the remainder of the 2025-26 campaign.
Which way should the Bucks go with Antetokounmpo?
If Milwaukee chose the latter path, the team would have a chance to improve Antetokounmpo’s supporting cast in the summer. And if they end up missing the NBA Playoffs, that will give the Bucks a chance to get a young building block by way of a lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
ViaBobby Marks of ESPN:
But considering Antetokounmpo will be out an extended period, Horst and the front office could choose to wait and regroup this summer. While missing the playoffs was not the goal before the season, Milwaukee is now slated to add a lottery pick to the league’s fifth-oldest roster. (The Bucks have the less favorable first-rounder between their own and the Pelicans.)
Interest in Antetokounmpo will always be there, even if he’s injured. But just because the Bucks are losing their season and there are murmurs of the two-time NBA Most Valuable Player wanting out of Milwaukee, it doesn’t necessarily mean the team should send him elsewhere.
There is still time for Milwaukee to find ways to shore up the talent around Antetokounmpo, who is due to earn $58.456 million in the 2026-27 season before a player option worth over $62 million in the 2027-28 campaign.
Jan 24, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks general manager Jon Horst address the media after head coach Adrian Griffin (not pictured) was dismissed at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
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