The Giannis Antetokounmpo saga will continue to be the biggest NBA storyline all offseason. After the Indiana Pacers knocked the Milwaukee Bucks out of the playoffs, reports indicated that the Greek Freak was seriously considering a change of scenery, and it seemed like a trade demand was inevitable.
However, now, the latest rumblings from NBA insider Jake Fischer suggest that Antetokounmpo could stay put after all.
NBA Executives Believe Giannis Antetokounmpo May Stay in Milwaukee
In a recent Bleacher Report livestream, Fischer provided a major update on the Antetokounmpo rumors. Before the NBA Combine, rival executives were confident that the superstar would request a trade. But now, that sentiment is shifting.
“Honestly, right now, I’d say the prevailing sentiment from rival teams that I’m speaking to—around the combine two weeks ago, two and a half weeks ago—there was no shortage of optimism, of hope, of excitement from other teams that they were going to be able to potentially make an offer to get Giannis Antetokounmpo into their franchise, into their building,” Fischer said.
“Of late, I’d say that confidence has been replaced with skepticism. To a man, from talking to agents, team executives, whoever, there is not a lot of belief right now at this juncture.”
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While this is an interesting update, it’s still early in the NBA offseason. The 2025 NBA Draft is on June 25-26, and trade talks will heat up as that gets closer. It’s also possible that Antetokounmpo could still request a trade, particularly if an attractive situation emerges.
“It’s only June 5—anything could happen—and I’ve been told all along that if there is a decision, a formal decision made to shut or open the door on trade conversations for Giannis this summer, that it would likely happen closer to the end of June and when the offseason really, really begins,” Fischer said.
“But I’d say for now, talking to people around the league, the assessment and the expectation is that they’re going to believe it when they see it—that someone who has valued being the franchise face, that the central lynchpin of the Bucks franchise, is going to want to play somewhere else.”
This is just the perception of rival executives at this point, so it’s possible that their read on the situation is wrong. With Damian Lillard’s unfortunate Achilles injury and Milwaukee’s limited flexibility going forward, Antetokounmpo may try to find greener pastures. However, as Fischer notes, it is seeming less and less like a sure thing.
If Antetokounmpo does become available, the San Antonio Spurs, New York Knicks, Toronto Raptors, Miami Heat, and Houston Rockets are among the teams expected to pursue the superstar.
