Speculation about Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s future with the Milwaukee Bucks started bubbling during the offseason, right after the Bucks stumbled through a third straight first-round playoff exit.
Despite his continued MVP-level production, questions hung in the air even more after ESPN’s Shams Charania reported in October that Milwaukee’s GM Jon Horst flew to Greece to meet him.
Advertisement
And then, when the season started, early struggles didn’t help and when a right calf strain recently sidelined Giannis, the trade chatter only grew louder. Then, recently, out of nowhere, Antetokounmpo scrubbed Bucks content from his social media. The timing felt deliberate.
Naturally, speculation followed.
On Thursday morning, Giannis spoke with reporters after his workout following shootaround. It was his first media availability since early December, when reports began questioning his future in earnest. He even acknowledged something that comes with being the star he is: one has to learn how to tune it all out.
Advertisement
The speculation has ramped up in recent weeks and it’s gotten to the point where even he can joke about it. Though that reaction might only fuel more questions about where his head really is.
“This is the most I’ve ever been talked about in my career,” Antetokounmpo said. “I’m in my house with my kids and all that and I’m opening the TV and it’s like, ‘Oh, Giannis is going to the Memphis Grizzlies!’ Or, ‘Giannis is going to the Detroit Pistons!’ Which, hey, man, I’m not going to lie: I’m the hottest chick in the game right now.”
Giannis is not concerned with outside noise
In any conversations his agent is having with the Bucks’ front office or any potential destination, Antetokounmpo made it clear that those do not reflect where his head is. That is what he hired his agent for. His job is different. Right now, that job starts with getting healthy.
Advertisement
“I’m still locked in, locked in on my teammates. Most importantly, locked in on me getting back healthy,” Antetokounmpo added. “And then, locked in on my teammates and how can I help them from the sideline or encourage them to be able to play and play free?”
It surely is a lot to manage, and the Milwaukee star knows that leadership means being present for the guys around him rather than piling on more pressure.
He also dismissed reports about meetings where he supposedly issued ultimatums for the team’s performance.
Advertisement
Trade speculation refuses to go away
Being linked to a different team every other day has worn on Antetokounmpo, even if he gets why it happens. He was once seen as the league’s most loyal superstar, the one who stayed when others left.
Although the situation did not appear overnight. Tension has been building for years and there is no clear end in sight. Since winning the NBA championship in 2021, Milwaukee has not been able to surround Giannis with a roster that looks capable of contending at the highest level.
Advertisement
The frustration has mounted slowly but steadily. The start of the 2025-26 season has followed a similar script. The Bucks are falling short of expectations once again and the relationship between Antetokounmpo and the franchise appears more uncertain than it used to be.
While Giannis hasn’t formally requested a trade, he has also stopped offering the kind of reassurance that used to quiet the rumors down earlier. He has been linked to multiple teams since the rumors have swirled, including the Miami Heat and New York Knicks.
As the losses continue to pile up and Milwaukee’s flexibility remains tight, other teams will keep circling. Until the Bucks start winning again or something changes structurally, the speculation isn’t going anywhere.
Advertisement
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Dec 19, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.