The swirling speculation around the future of Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is the biggest story of the NBA trade deadline in 2026, but there are other details you may want to know as a Bucks fan.
From when the deadline is, to what draft picks the Bucks are working with, to the Bucks’ salary cap, to the matching salaries rule, to who else on the Bucks can be traded, here’s a rundown that answers questions about the team and the trade deadline:
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When is the NBA trade deadline?
Thursday, Feb. 5 at 2 p.m. CT.
Is Giannis Antetokounmpo going to get traded?
Friend, we have no idea, but here’s what Antetokounmpo said at length about the topic Feb. 3 to the Journal Sentinel.
What are the likeliest landing spots for Giannis?
There’s been plenty of speculation around the league about teams that are clearing salary-cap space to make a move like that feasible, including the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Lorenzo Reyes of USA TODAY identified a series of logical fits, including Miami, Golden State, New York, Atlanta and … Chicago?
Milwaukee Bucks General Manager Jon Horst has presumably been busy before the NBA trade deadline.
Do the Milwaukee Bucks have draft picks to trade?
Yes. They can move either their 2031 or 2032 first-round picks. They don’t have second-round picks in those years, since they moved them to Charlotte along with Pat Connaughton in the 2025 offseason.
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It’s important to note that, starting on draft night, the Bucks would be allowed to trade three first-round picks: 2026, 2031 and 2033. They can’t trade 2032 because NBA rules prohibit outright trading first-round picks in consecutive years.
Which brings us to another reminder: They do have a first-round pick in 2026, but it’s occupied in a pick swap with the New Orleans Pelicans (who have since traded their pick away to Atlanta). The Bucks will get the lesser of the two placements between their own spot and New Orleans’ spot.
Heck, it’s still possible the Bucks get a top-four pick if both New Orleans and Milwaukee have their names drawn in the lottery.
More: NBA trade deadline 2026 tracker today, live updates, Giannis rumors
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More: How are Bucks players handling the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors?
Do the Bucks have salary cap space?
Technically, no. They’re over the salary cap.
But, they are under the luxury tax line by about $11.5 million. Since they’re currently not a playoff team, it wouldn’t behoove them to go into the tax this season, but that is enough money – combined with any outgoing salary – to bring in some higher-priced talent.
What are the restrictions around matching salaries at the trade deadline?
Because they’re under that luxury tax line, the Bucks can absorb more salary than they send out. The salaries of players traded for teams like Milwaukee can be within 125% instead of 110% for tax-paying teams. In other words, they can bring in a $5 million player and send out a $4 million player in exchange.
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However, the Bucks are likely hoping to avoid adding enough salary that they cross the tax line. Such a breach would trigger additional penalties for being a tax-paying team two years in a row.
More than that, by staying out of the luxury tax, the Bucks will be armed with the no-taxpaying mid-level exception next summer, which is worth $15,140,000. The team can use that to sign one player, or break it up to sign multiple players.
Can any player on the Milwaukee Bucks roster be traded?
No.
AJ Green is ineligible to trade, because he signed his contract extension in October, and rules prevent a team from moving a player with his kind of contract for six months. Myles Turner has a 15% trade kicker on his $25.3 million salary, which is money the Bucks would have to absorb to send him away. So, he could be traded, but with a price.
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Who’s the best trade candidate for the Bucks, aside from Giannis?
“Best” is a difficult thing to quantify, but any major deal would likely have to include Kyle Kuzma ($22.4 million salary and up to $3 million in incentives that must count toward a team’s apron total) and/or Bobby Portis Jr. ($13.4 million) for salary-matching reasons.
Players such as Kevin Porter Jr. ($5.1M), Gary Trent Jr. ($3.6M), Gary Harris ($3.6M) and Taurean Prince ($3.3M) all waived their no-trade clauses and can be dealt.
From an on-court perspective, Ryan Rollins is probably the most attractive trade chip that the Bucks can offer aside from draft picks. The 23-year-old is in the first year of a team-friendly three-year $12 million contract.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: When is NBA trade deadline? Giannis, Bucks, date, time, salary cap