It didn’t take long for the silence around Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks to break and that’s exactly what happened on Monday. NBA insider Shams Charania reported that the team is now “open for business” on trade talks for the 10-time All-Star.
The Milwaukee Bucks are open for business on trade calls and offers for two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo entering the NBA combine and over six weeks away from the draft, sources told ESPN.
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— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 11, 2026
Monday’s report reignites the longtime trade rumor mill surrounding Antetokounmpo after the team tried to move him at this season’s trade deadline in February.
Charania reports that the front office will keep their asking price of a young star and a surplus of draft picks. The consensus between both Antetokounmpo and the front office is that it’s time to move on.
The Bucks had a disappointing season that saw them finish with a 32-50 record and miss the postseason for the first time sine 2015-16. Head coach Doc Rivers was off the team just hours after the season ended.
Antetokounmpo first expressed a desire to be traded last summer when he told the team he wanted to play for the New York Knicks.
According to Charania, trade talks with the Knicks fell through and the Bucks decided to keep him.
The result was a season full of friction as Antetokounmpo continued to ask for a trade. Ultimately, the Bucks talked to a number of teams at the deadline, but never made a deal to move him.
Down the stretch of the campaign, an NBA investigation was launched after Antetokounmpo expressed his ability and willingness to return from a knee injury. But the Bucks maintained that he wasn’t healthy enough to play, prompting an investigation into potential tanking.
If Antetokounmpo’s time on the Bucks truly is nearing an end, he’ll likely go down as the greatest player in franchise history. He sits at first place in every major statistical franchise record and led them to an NBA championship in 2020-21.
James Parker is a sports writer for Ball Exclusives, follow him on X @TheJames_Parker
