Giannis Antetokounmpo's future with the Milwaukee Bucks is uncertain as a decision is expected before the NBA Draft. The team opted not to trade him at the February deadline, but now faces a critical choice regarding his contract extension.
Key points
Giannis Antetokounmpo's future with the Bucks is uncertain.
A decision on his path forward is expected before the NBA Draft.
The Bucks opted not to trade him at the February deadline.
New coach Taylor Jenkins has a relationship with Antetokounmpo.
The franchise is evaluating options for a potential contract extension.
Giannis AntetokounmpoMilwaukee BucksBoston CelticsNew York Knicks
The Milwaukee Bucks kicked the can down the road on Giannis Antetokounmpo's future when they decided not to trade him at the February deadline, but decision time is approaching.
With co-owner Jimmy Haslam telling reporters he expects a decision on Antetokounmpo's path forward before the NBA Draft, the Bucks have mere weeks to either make a move or simply move forward with their face of the franchise into a 14th season with a new contract extension.
Antetokounmpo has a relationship with new Bucks coach Taylor Jenkins, who once served as an assistant under Mike Budenholzer in Milwaukee, but with the franchise stuck in neutral, it could still be the right time for a split.
The Sporting News is tracking the latest Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors as the Bucks weigh dealing their star. Follow along below.
The Bucks are "open for business" on Antetokounmpo trade talks and fielding interest, according to ESPN, with an eye toward a decision before the NBA Draft on June 23.
"There is expected to be a robust market for Antetokounmpo's services, and ownership and front office officials expect to maintain their trade deadline asking price of a young blue-chip talent and/or a surplus of draft picks," Charania reports.
Bucks co-owner says Antetokounmpo decision coming before draft
Mark June 23 as the deadline for a resolution between Antetokounmpo and the Bucks, as co-owner Jimmy Haslam told reporters he expects either a trade or an extension before the NBA Draft.
"I just think before the draft is a natural time," Haslam said at coach Taylor Jenkins' introductory press conference. "Because if Giannis does play somewhere else, we've got to have a lot of assets. That's Jon's job to do. And if he's here, then you build the team differently."
Antetokounmpo is under contract next season for $58.5 million, but he can opt out and become a free agent in the summer of 2027 if he declines his $62.8 million option.
The Bucks have made it clear that their two possible paths forward with Antetokounmpo are a trade or an extension. If Antetokounmpo stays with the Bucks, he will be eligible for a four-year, $275 million extension on Oct. 1. If he's traded, he won't be extension-eligible until six months following the deal. That could mean an extension with a new team would be off the table until well into December.
The Warriors were thought to be among the best-positioned teams to land Antetokounmpo at the trade deadline, but the Bucks' decision to push talks to the offseason opened the door for other teams to rival Golden State's package. While the Warriors aren't loaded with young assets, they do control many of their upcoming draft picks and have the expiring contracts to make a deal work.
With Steve Kerr locked in for a 13th season as head coach and Stephen Curry's window to win a fifth championship closing as he approaches age 39 next season, the time to strike is likely now if Golden State wants to compete in the West.
The Celtics weren't among the teams rumored to be in the Antetokounmpo mix at the deadline, but what about after coming up short in the first round? Brad Stevens told reporters he knows some changes need to be made, and Antetokounmpo would be a massive acquisition in a wide-open East, even if it means the end of the Jaylen Brown era in Boston.
Antetokounmpo has reportedly signaled his interest in playing for the Knicks in the past. If New York's season ends without a championship, there could be another reshuffling of the deck that involves high-priced players going to Milwaukee for Antetokounmpo.
The question is whether the Knicks have the assets to pull off a deal. The Knicks still own three first-round picks in the next five years, but the Bucks already know New York's pick isn't high in 2026, and their 2028 pick is the least favorable of a group of three teams, meaning it likely won't be very high, either.
Heat
The Heat are seemingly headed nowhere as currently constructed. If Pat Riley intends to see Miami win another championship, it might be time to get desperate. The Heat were heavily involved in pursuing Antetokounmpo at the deadline, and they at least have young pieces, including Kel'el Ware, to dangle in trade talks.
The Timberwolves were a frequent name that surfaced in trade rumors before the deadline, and another season without an NBA Finals appearance could set the stage for renewed interest. Minnesota owns a first-round pick in four of the next five years, and Antetokounmpo playing alongside Anthony Edwards could be a combination the Timberwolves see as championship-worthy after years of coming close but not quite close enough.
