MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 22: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks reacts against the Washington Wizards during the fourth quarter at Fiserv Forum on October 22, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
While the NBA world continues to speculate about Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline, the Milwaukee Bucks superstar appeared anything but rattled.
Instead, Antetokounmpo leaned into the moment — literally — with humor.
Giannis Leans Into the Moment on Social Media
Amid mounting trade chatter, Antetokounmpo took to Instagram with a tongue-in-cheek pitch for a sponsorship deal, jokingly offering himself as an ambassador for Trojan condoms.
The two-time NBA MVP referenced recent meme-driven endorsement deals involving Kevin Durant’s CeraVe campaign and Kendall Jenner’s Fanatics Sportsbook ad, which played off the long-running “Kardashian curse” joke tied to her former NBA relationships.
“Kevin Durant secured a CeraVe endorsement deal. Kendall Jenner recently signed an endorsement deal with Fanatics,” Antetokounmpo said in his Instagram story. “Trojan, what’s up? I’m curious to see if your product works.”
Giannis Trojan
HeavyMilwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo has some jokes amid the trade buzz.
Antetokounmpo followed the post with mock-up images depicting himself in fictional Trojan advertisements, a lighthearted response that contrasted sharply with the seriousness of the trade rumors surrounding him.
Giannis Trojan mockup ads
HeavyMilwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo posts mockups of Trojan ads starring himself.
Bucks Star at Center of Trade Firestorm
The humor comes as Antetokounmpo finds himself at the center of the most consequential trade speculation of the NBA season.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Milwaukee has begun listening to offers for its franchise cornerstone.
“Two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is ready for a new home ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline, as several teams have made aggressive offers to the Milwaukee Bucks, who are starting to listen,” Charania reported Wednesday.
Charania added that Milwaukee is proceeding cautiously and is under no pressure to act immediately.
“Multiple teams have received a sense that the Bucks are more open than ever to Antetokounmpo offers between now and the deadline,” he wrote. “However, Milwaukee has indicated to interested teams that the organization is not in a rush to complete a move and is willing to navigate Antetokounmpo’s future in the offseason if its believed price point of a blue-chip young talent and/or a surplus of draft picks isn’t met.”
Antetokounmpo, 31, becomes eligible to sign a four-year, $275 million supermax extension on Oct. 1. Without an extension, he could become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2027 by declining a $62.8 million player option.
Lakers Remain a Team to Monitor
One franchise frequently mentioned in long-term Giannis scenarios is the Los Angeles Lakers, despite their limited ability to compete in an in-season bidding war.
Howard Beck of The Ringer said the Lakers remain on Antetokounmpo’s radar, even if practical obstacles exist.
“I was told recently that the Lakers were a team to keep an eye on from Giannis’ standpoint,” Beck said on The Zach Lowe Show. “But, again, there’s a difficulty there in terms of trade assets.”
Beck noted that the Lakers’ outlook changes significantly once the calendar flips to the offseason.
“Once the summer comes, they’ve got more on the draft capital side of things and they’ve got more clarity once they figure out where LeBron is or isn’t and where Austin Reaves is,” Beck said.
Asset Limitations Cloud February Outlook
As currently constructed, Los Angeles lacks the draft capital Milwaukee is seeking.
The Lakers have only one first-round pick available to trade at the deadline — either 2031 or 2032 — due to prior obligations and Stepien Rule restrictions. Reaves, their most valuable young player, earns $13.9 million this season, a salary that complicates trade matching and falls short of the “blue-chip” designation Milwaukee is believed to prefer.
Without multiple first-round picks or a premium prospect on a team-friendly contract, Los Angeles is unlikely to outbid rivals before Feb. 5.
Summer Path Remains the Lakers’ Best Bet
Milwaukee’s willingness to wait, however, offers the Lakers a theoretical opening.
If the Bucks delay a deal until the offseason, Los Angeles could unlock access to as many as three first-round picks. Reaves could also be included in a sign-and-trade scenario after entering free agency, strengthening the Lakers’ overall package.
Speculation linking Antetokounmpo to Los Angeles dates back to December, when Fox Chicago’s Lou Canellis reported that Luka Dončić encouraged the franchise to explore a Giannis deal last offseason.
“I can tell you that the Lakers inquired,” Canellis said. “Luka Dončić himself inquired, trying to see if the Lakers could work out a deal with the Milwaukee Bucks.”
For now, Antetokounmpo appears content to laugh off the noise — even as the league waits to see where the biggest domino of the NBA season ultimately falls.