The Milwaukee Bucks did not appear to have any serious discussions about trading Giannis Antetokounmpo ahead of the first round of the NBA Draft on Wednesday night, but one reporter says that does not necessarily mean the possibility is off the table.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported in May that Antetokounmpo is open-minded for the first time about potentially playing somewhere other than Milwaukee. Another ESPN reporter has since said neither Giannis nor the Bucks are thinking about a trade, but Charania insists it cannot be ruled out.
During an appearance on Thursday morning’s edition of “Get Up,” Charania said Antetokounmpo will be keeping a close eye on how the Bucks operate for the remainder of the summer.
“Again, he’s been there for 12 years, so there’s a level of equity in seeing what can the Bucks do at the draft, what can they do during free agency, how can they improve the team,” Charania said. “He has said on record that he wants to compete for an NBA championship. They’ve got free agents Bobby Portis, Brook Lopez and Kevin Porter Jr.
“So, he’s gonna remain open-minded. I don’t think his future is necessarily tied to this week, to free agency week. It’s gonna be a process where you see how this team looks into July — well into July, potentially — and then he will see how the Bucks look, how the chess pieces look across the league, and ultimately have some form of a resolution.”
.@ShamsCharania weighs in on Giannis' future with the Bucks ✍️ pic.twitter.com/bzFWR7s413
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) June 26, 2025
One thing working in the Bucks’ favor is that it should not be all that hard to assemble a contender heading into the 2025-26 season. The Boston Celtics have already traded multiple key players, and Jayson Tatum is expected to miss most of the season while recovering from a torn Achilles. The defending Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers will be without Tyrese Haliburton for most — if not all — of next season because of the same injury.
Even with Damian Lillard sidelined indefinitely (also a torn Achilles), the Bucks should easily be in the playoff hunt in a banged-up East.
Antetokounmpo has trolled Charania over the trade talk, so a blockbuster deal still seems unlikely. Charania believes it is still possible.
