Giannis Antetokounmpo appears committed to Milwaukee after the Bucks removed him from trade discussions, posting a clip from The Wolf of Wall Street on Thursday with the caption, “Legends don’t chase. They attract.”
The Bucks explored trade possibilities ahead of the February 5 deadline, fielding inquiries from the Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, Miami Heat, and New York Knicks, but no serious offers materialized. Golden State’s late acquisition of Kristaps Porzingis and Minnesota’s deal for Ayo Dosunmu were strong indicators that a Giannis trade was unlikely.
Milwaukee made it clear to interested teams that any deal would need to be extraordinary, likely involving multiple first-round picks, but no proposal met the threshold. Shams Charania noted on NBA Today, “They were engaged but they never progressed even really close with Giannis Antetokounmpo and any other team.”
Bobby Marks added that Milwaukee’s approach was strategic rather than reactive. “The intention of Milwaukee was to see what was out there. Write it down and put it away until June and July,” Marks said. “But the teams I talked to, they just never felt there would be a deal that would materialize.”
With Giannis now confirmed to remain, the Bucks are shifting focus toward building around him and pursuing peripheral roster moves, including acquiring Ousmane Dieng and Nigel Hayes-Davis in a three-team trade that sent Cole Anthony and Amir Coffey to Phoenix.
Antetokounmpo has averaged 28.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game through 30 appearances this season, while shooting 64.5% from the field and 39.5% from three-point range. His dominance has kept the Bucks competitive despite a 20-29 record, placing them 12th in the Eastern Conference.
Milwaukee’s long-term plans for Giannis could include a contract extension, as he becomes eligible in October for a four-year, $275 million deal. The organization hopes to retain him and build a contender around the superstar, possibly influenced by the results of the 2026 draft lottery.
