The Milwaukee Bucks have had a dreadful 2025-26 season, which is trending to be the first season Giannis Antetokounmpo has missed the Playoffs since 2016. Antetokounmpo performed at an MVP level this season, averaging 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 5.4 assists. However, the Bucks simply failed to surround him with sufficient talent to mount a playoff push, especially with Antetokounmpo playing in only 36 of the team’s 69 games this season.
This lack of competitiveness after a season of strong trade rumors has prompted Bucks CEO Wes Edens to address Antetokounmpo’s future status with the franchise. In an interview with Ramona Shelbourne, Edens admitted that the franchise will move to trade Antetokounmpo if he doesn’t agree to sign the four-year, $275 million supermax extension the franchise intends to offer in the summer.
“Giannis is going into the last year [of his contract],” said Edens, the team’s controlling owner until April 2028. “So one of two things will happen: Either he will be extended or he’ll be traded.”
“The likelihood you’ll let him just kind of play out the last year, we can’t afford that. It’s not consistent with what’s good for the organization. That’s not a Giannis issue. That’s any player that’s in their last year.”
Teams like the Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Golden State Warriors were heavily rumored to be looking to acquire Antetokounmpo via trade in the winter, so they’ll likely be extremely interested in the summer depending on how their seasons pan out. There are also teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, who have tons of cap space in 2027 when Giannis is a free agent.
The Bucks can’t risk going into a contract season with Antetokounmpo and lose him for nothing in free agency, especially given the lack of draft assets the franchise possesses. If it doesn’t look like Antetokounmpo wants to sign an extension in Milwaukee by the time July rolls around, the Bucks will likely send him to a team he’s going to sign with in exchange for a strong draft haul.
Recently, it’s been reported that the franchise is intentionally holding Antetokounmpo out of the lineup under the guise of a knee injury. However, Antetokounmpo believes he can continue contributing on the court and make a late push for the Play-In Tournament.
“The Bucks, per league sources, have made it clear to their franchise centerpiece that it would be in their shared interest for him to sit out with the team currently 6 1/2 games behind the Charlotte Hornets for the final Play-In Tournament spot,” wrote Nehm. “While injuries have forced Antetokounmpo to miss 32 games already this season, league sources tell The Athletic the 10-time All-Star forward has informed the team he has no desire to cut his season short.”
This dissonance between Giannis and the franchise seems to have grown over recent seasons. If this standoff is as serious as it seems, it is unlikely Antetokounmpo would want to stay with a franchise that isn’t 100% committed to winning. Similarly, Antetokounmpo likely knows that the Bucks have exhausted their assets trying to keep a competitive core around him, so his best option to win is to go somewhere else.
Going somewhere else via trade means the new team won’t have the necessary assets leftover to build around Antetokounmpo either, so it’s smart for the Bucks to make an absolute decision on Giannis’ future. There are multiple internal forces at play as well, so this situation will likely be the summer’s biggest talking point.
