The NBA trade deadline is just over two weeks away, but no significant moves appear close to being made. Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo may be the reason why.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said this week that some teams are holding off on making deals because they are not completely certain that Antetokounmpo will not be traded this season, and want to ensure they have a chance to acquire him if he is.
“When I talk to people in the league, they’re still holding, waiting to see,” Windhorst said. “The Bucks have just had two miserable performances. They are going the wrong direction. There are deals that are on hold because teams still aren’t 100 percent sure Giannis is going to be on the team the rest of the year.”
Windy:
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) January 16, 2026
"There are deals that are on hold and talk progressions on hold because teams still aren't 100% sure whether Giannis is gonna be on the team the rest of the year" pic.twitter.com/QtYO9THpd9
The Bucks have been adamant that they want to try to buy and get Antetokounmpo some more help. Antetokounmpo himself has made it clear that he is not trying to push his way out of Milwaukee. None of that has convinced some teams, especially since the Bucks continue to flounder.
Milwaukee has lost three in a row, all against Western Conference contenders, and only one of the games was particularly close. Their play continues to prompt questions about whether they are even a playoff team, which is nowhere near where Antetokounmpo expects them to be. Entering Sunday, they are a miserable 17-24 and would not even be in the play-in tournament if it started today.
Any Antetokounmpo trade is probably more likely to happen after the season than during it. There have been plenty of rumors to suggest that the scenario has at least been considered, though, and it may keep some teams in a holding pattern for a while longer.
