Report: Bucks trading Giannis Antetokounmpo is ‘not a reality’ right now

Report: Bucks trading Giannis Antetokounmpo is ‘not a reality’ right now

Before the start of the 2024-25 season, Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo acknowledged the pressure that their aging core had at winning a title–or else potential changes were going to be made.

After a 2-6 start, those alarm bells have only intensified. CBS Sports’ Bill Reiter reported in late October that there is “rising confidence” that if things go poorly in Milwaukee, the Bucks superstar could be available for trade. Now, according to a recent report from ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst, it’s not as realistic as one may think.

“The speculation is true. The Bucks are indeed starting to canvas the league for a trade, league executives told ESPN,” Windhorst wrote Friday. “But no, not that trade. The concept of two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo reaching the trade market is ripe for rumors and trade machine computations, but it’s not a reality as of now for Antetokounmpo or the Bucks, sources said. Teams have let the Bucks know in recent months that they will make an offer for the Greek Freak if that day ever comes. But those are incoming calls, not outgoing, and it’s likely to remain that way.

“For a league that loves drama and fans who crave transactions, it’s tempting to jump to conclusions with Antetokounmpo. In this case, though, it should be understood that the Bucks are heavily incentivized to try everything to make this roster work with Antetokounmpo and exhaust all avenues before considering anything else.“

Antetokounmpo, who turns 30-years-old in December, has three years left on his deal for $54.1, $58.5 and $62.9 million, respectively, according to Spotrac. He’s also playing at an MVP-like level, averaging 31.0 points, 12.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists on 61.7 percent shooting and 62.2 percent true shooting through seven games.

The rest of the team–outside of Damian Lillard–hasn’t quite followed suit. Milwaukee is toward the middle-of-the-pack in NET Rating, but the Bucks are 11.0 points per 100 possessions worse when Antetokounmpo isn’t on the floor, including 9.1 points defensively, according to Cleaning The Glass. It’s still early, but that’s an issue.

If he was available, all 29 other teams should be checking in. But that’s not the reality. In a perfect world, if they do decide to trade him, they could get a haul–loaded with draft capital and young talent. But who knows how many teams could legitimately fork that over in today’s NBA economy? Oklahoma City is clearly the best bet … imagine him there, for a second.

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