ESPN recently made up a list of players its insiders believe will be the next star to request a trade in the NBA. Of the 25 votes that were cast, Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo received seven of them. That was good for second on the list, with Zion Williamson (10) sitting ahead of him, and LeBron James (six) right behind him.
This summer has been a weird one for the Bucks, and Antetokounmpo trade rumors dominated the early stages. Yet in recent months, he has seemingly put those to rest, despite the media and fans trying to push them back onto him.
Trade rumors will always be there, but Antetokounmpo doesn’t seem to be leaving Milwaukee anytime soon.
Would Giannis Antetokounmpo actually request a trade?
Every time rumors make their way to Antetokounmpo directly, he sends out the same message, in whatever words he chooses to deliver it: “I want to stay in Milwaukee for my whole career and win another banner.”
At every turn, Antetokounmpo has made it painfully clear that he wants to be a Buck. He wants to win another championship for the City of Milwaukee. He wants to play for the Bucks for his entire career.
But every person has their limits. If the Bucks fail to put competent teams around Antetokounmpo, he may eventually have no choice but to ask out. Right now, though, that doesn’t seem very likely.
“Speculation has swirled around Antetokounmpo asking out of Milwaukee for several years,” wrote Tim MacMahon of ESPN. “If he didn't take that drastic step in the summer, it's unlikely to happen midseason.”
The Bucks' decision to waive and stretch Damian Lillard sent a shock throughout the NBA world this summer. It was completely unexpected, and now, Milwaukee is in as weird a position as ever.
Their lineup looks rough. They signed Myles Turner, but their guard room is led by a hodgepodge crowd of Kevin Porter Jr., Gary Trent Jr., Cole Anthony, and Ryan Rollins—not exactly ideal if the goal is winning a championship.
There’s a really good chance that the Bucks’ 2025-26 roster is the worst one they’ve put around Antetokounmpo since they began gunning for championships. And with how depleted the East looks, that couldn’t have come at a worse time.
However, if Antetokounmpo isn’t trying to ask out of Milwaukee now, at what very well may be its lowest point in years, it’s more likely than ever that he never will.