Like many teams, the Milwaukee Bucks have a lot at stake this summer. With a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade being all but inevitable, the front office must take special care to find the best return possible.
While they have much control over where Giannis ends up, most of the power lies with Giannis himself. At just two years and $120 million, the Greek Freak could become a free agent as early as next summer. That’s why, according to Chris Haynes, he’ll have a major say on where he ends up, given the risk he might leave after one season.
“He has tons of power,” said Haynes on the Kevin O’Connor Show. “After next season, he has a player option for 2027-28. [Giannis has] tons of power [in dictating where he goes]. So, if a team he doesn’t wanna go to says, ‘We want to talk to Milwaukee. We want to trade.’ Words gonna get back to Giannis, and he’s gonna say, ‘You can do it, but you’re only getting me for the season, and I’m out.’”
Giannis was limited to just 36 games in 2025-26, but he remains one of the NBA’s most highly coveted stars. As a 10x All-Star, NBA champion, and 2x MVP, he’s already an all-time great with career averages of 24.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game on 55.4% shooting and 28.5% shooting from three. In the right situation, he could shift the balance of power in the NBA and put whichever team that adds him in a position to win it all.
Nevertheless, after a miserable season on all fronts, both sides are ready for a split, and his next team may come down to which one of his preferred landing spots is willing to offer the most. Off the bat, teams like the Trail Blazers (who have expressed some interest) would risk Giannis leaving next summer. Still, it could be a risk worth taking if they feel they can convince him to stay.
In reality, teams like the Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors stand out as the likeliest landing spots, given that Antetokounmpo has been tied to them before. He also wants to join a bigger market, meaning the New York Knicks could still be in play if they go on to lose this Finals series.
Either way, Giannis will be pushing to join a favorable situation. At 31, he doesn’t have the time or patience to help a mediocre team. He wants to win big and follow up on his 2021 title win with a second championship. The problem is that finding a suitable trade package won’t be easy for the Bucks.
It’s no secret that the two-way forward is hesitant about gutting the roster of his next team, and that makes things especially tricky. Ultimately, for both sides to get what they want here, a compromise will have to be reached that could force Giannis to open up his list of desirable destinations. The Bucks will not give up on him lightly, and teams will only offer so much if they don’t have a guarantee that he’ll stick around.
