Giannis Antetokounmpo was the subject of trade rumors leading up to the season, and a new report claims the two-time NBA MVP had asked the Milwaukee Bucks to move him.
Antetokounmpo made some recent changes to his social media accounts that led fans to conclude he is unhappy with the Bucks amid their 9-13 start. As of Tuesday, most mentions of the Bucks had been scrubbed from both Giannis’ Instagram profile and his X profile.
The only photos of Antetokounmpo in a Bucks uniform on his Instagram account are from when the team won the NBA championship in 2021 and the NBA Cup last year.
Giannis has deleted every Instagram post related to the Bucks, keeping only his championship win and the Cup pics up pic.twitter.com/WFt026EJEx
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) December 2, 2025
During a Wednesday appearance on ESPN Cleveland Radio, Brian Windhorst was asked if the social media changes are Antetokounmpo’s way of sending some sort of message. The reporter responded sarcastically and said it is old news that Giannis might want out of Milwaukee. In fact, Windhorst says Giannis requested a trade prior to the season.
“Guys, he asked to be traded already,” Windhorst said. “What appears is that Giannis committed himself for the season to the Bucks. That’s what appeared happened, everything he said and his mood. But the Bucks are not good. This year, when he hasn’t played, they’re 1-5. And when he has played, they’re 9-8. So, they’ve been .500 when he’s played, and when he hasn’t played they’ve been getting raced.
“What you’re asking me is would his viewpoint change — I don’t know. I know that he asked for a trade and then he said, ‘OK, I’m gonna be a Buck this year.’ I know that a lot of people in the league don’t think that he’ll be a Buck next year.”
"Guys, he asked to be traded already," – @WindhorstESPN details what's going on with Giannis and the Bucks 😯 pic.twitter.com/NPlLayk8xu
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) December 3, 2025
The comments from Windhorst were a bit stronger than what he reported in October, which was that Antetokounmpo “basically said he wanted to be a Knick.” There is a difference — even if only a small one — between that and outright asking to be traded. It seems like Giannis did want to be traded, but only if it were to New York.
Antetokounmpo has largely tried to dodge questions about his level of commitment to the Bucks. He has, however, made it clear that he wants to play for a team that can contend for a championship. Thus far, Milwaukee does not look like a team that is capable of doing that this season.
