The Atlanta Hawks don’t want to trade Jalen Johnson to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks, according to NBA insider Grant Afseth of DallasHoopsJournal.
While the Hawks are interested in trading for Antetokounmpo, they don’t want to part ways with Johnson.
The 24-year-old Johnson was born and raised in Wausau, Wisconsin. He’s averaging 23.8 points, 10.5 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game this season.
Antetokounmpo recently told reporters he hasn’t spoken to the Bucks about his future. NBA insider Shams Charania of ESPN reported on December 3 that Antetokounmpo and his agent were planning to speak with Milwaukee’s brass.
“If my agent is talking to the Bucks about it, he is his own person,” Giannis Antetokounmpo said, via The Athletic. “He can have any conversation he wants about it. At the end of the day, I don’t work for my agent; my agent works for me. And there’s going to be conversations that are going to be made between him and the Bucks, and him and his other players, and him and other teams and other GMs, executives around the league. It’s something that you can’t control. But at the end of the day, I personally have not had the conversation with the Bucks.”
The Bucks are currently telling teams that Antetokounmpo is not available in trade talks. Milwaukee is looking to make trades to surround Antetokounmpo with more talent, particularly at the wing spot.
Before the season, Antetokounmpo requested a trade and wanted to be traded to the New York Knicks. However, Milwaukee and New York didn’t agree to a deal.
A top 75 player of all time, Antetokounmpo is making $54.1 million this season. He has a player option worth $62.8 million for the 2027-28 season. The power forward doesn’t have a no-trade clause in his contract.
It’s unknown when Antetokounmpo will return to the Bucks’ lineup. He’s currently out with a right calf strain.
Along with the Knicks and Hawks, Antetokounmpo has been linked to the Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors and Los Angeles Lakers.