The uncertainty surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo remains the central storyline of the NBA trade market, much as it was last offseason following the draft lottery in May.
Neither Antetokounmpo nor the Milwaukee Bucks have shown any interest in initiating trade discussions or a formal trade request.
The closest movement came in August, when the Bucks and the New York Knicks held brief trade talks believed to have been prompted by Antetokounmpo.
“The entire NBA trade season is hinging on what happens with Giannis,” said Brian Windhorst on SportsCenter. “Because if Giannis comes onto the market, not only would be there immense interest in him, but because of the size of his contract and the potential of a multi-player trade, I think you could see this see generate two, three, four different teams involved in trades and many, many players. The Bucks, to this point, have yet to cross the rubicon there.
“And Giannis has yet to cross the red line and ask for the trade. Everybody in the league believes this is eventually going to happen. Everybody in the league can see that the Bucks are not good enough to support Giannis going for title contention and knows this moment is going to happen and they are preparing for it. There doesn’t seem to be a clarity on when it might happen. They will stay on the sidelines and they will wait. And if the bell goes off, you will see a hive of activity.”
Sources believe the stalemate exists because Antetokounmpo prefers not to formally request a trade and risk damaging his relationship with Milwaukee’s fan base, while the Bucks remain unwilling to consider a deal unless he explicitly asks out.
Antetokounmpo can become a free agent in 2027 and is eligible for an extension in October, creating an implicit timeline for when a definitive decision on his future will eventually be required.
NBA Trade Season ‘Hinging’ On Whether Giannis Antetokounmpo Will Come To Market https://t.co/UnWVOpHrsb
— RealGM (@RealGM) January 23, 2026
