Giannis Antetokounmpo has been at the center of trade rumors since the end of last season. While there have been reports that Antetokounmpo does not want to leave the Milwaukee Bucks, the NBA world strongly believes this union is destined for an ugly divorce.
According to recent reports, Antetokounmpo almost parted ways with his agent, Alex Saratsis, for failing to get him traded to another team. This is where Rich Paul seems to have spotted an opportunity, as the same report further indicates that the renowned sports agent wants to pitch representation to the Greek superstar.
“Giannis was close to firing his longtime agent, Alex Saratsis, over his failure to get Giannis traded from the Bucks,” wrote Henry Abbott of TrueHoop.
“A client like Giannis is worth a ton of money to an agent, and so there are always sources suggesting a star and his agent are at odds with each other—the hubbub might create an opening for someone else to move in,” opined Abbott.
“And in this case, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports not only tends to talk about Giannis, but also–multiple sources agree–has been talking to Giannis’s brother Thanasis as of late.”
“Rich, it seems clear, would like to represent Giannis, and (despite what’s happening with Anthony Davis in Dallas) is said to have been making the case that he’s the guy who can get a star player where he wants to go,” Abbott further added.
“Two excellent NBA sources suggest that this kind of agent subterfuge is a constant undertone of NBA life, and it’s not worth worrying about. Two others believe there’s a very real chance that Giannis will soon have a new agent.”
Abbott also mentioned something worth noting, that under the new league rules, a player is allowed to terminate his agent with a seven-day notice period, which was recently changed from a 15-day notice period. This allows Antetokounmpo to switch representation in time for a trade to happen before the deadline.
Antetokounmpo is currently sidelined with a calf injury that is expected to keep him out for four to six weeks. According to NBA insider Marc J. Spears, the Greek superstar may have “played his last game in a Bucks uniform” when he played against the Nuggets.
He is currently averaging 28.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 5.6 assists while shooting 64.5% from the field and 39.5% from beyond the arc.
When the reports came out that Giannis Antetokounmpo was seeking to be traded, Chris Haynes, an NBA insider, claimed the Greek superstar blamed his representation for making plans about his future without consulting him.
This seemed a bit like a stand-off between the two sides, where Paul seems to bring in the plot twist. Paul is the CEO of Klutch Sports, one of the top player agencies in the NBA today, representing elite clients like LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Tyrese Maxey, and more.
Another possible outcome is that Antetokounmpo wants to leave the Bucks early as a free agent, then he can drop the $62.8 million player option at the end of the 2026-27 season to become a free agent for the 2027-28 season.
If that is his plan, then a move with Rich Paul makes more sense even after the trade deadline, as he has more experience in dealing with front offices.
But if he suddenly becomes Giannis Antetokounmpo’s agent over the next few days, we can reasonably anticipate some bombshell news on trade deadline day.
