It’s worth asking why Giannis Antetokounmpo is still on the Milwaukee Bucks. They aren’t one of the worst teams in the NBA because he remains on the roster, but their title prospects are dead. Not almost dead. Dead.
It gets worse for them, too. The Bucks taking this long to wake up and smell the coffee also affects the return they would get if they traded Antetokounmpo.
Bucks Risk Losing Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Trade Value Following Missed Deadline
Ramona Shelburne of ESPN, citing a conversation with an executive, revealed that the Bucks’ failure to trade Antetokounmpo when they had the chance will hurt them for several reasons if they decide to go the opposite route.
“He’s still a game changer, but he’s 31 with a history of leg injuries,” a rival executive told Shelburne. “And now you’d basically be trading for a guy on an expiring deal, so I’m not sure the offers they’ll get this summer are going to be better than what they already got.”
MORE: Is Stephen Curry Playing Tonight? Latest Injury Update on Warriors Star for Hawks Clash
No matter the caliber of player, teams do not give up much for a flight risk. At least, they do not give up as much as they would if a superstar like Antetokounmpo had two years left on his deal. Add in the aforementioned injury history, and the situation only becomes tougher.
What makes a trade even harder to construct is the cost of the final year of Antetokounmpo’s contract. For the record, Antetokounmpo technically has two years left on his deal, but he will likely opt out because of his player option.
The Bucks owe Antetokounmpo $58,456,566 for the 2026-27 season. Not many teams have the available money to match a deal that gargantuan without basically gutting the roster.
While a trade is feasible because every NBA team would love to acquire him, front offices must also ensure they aren’t cutting too much from their rotation to make room for him.
MORE: Trae Young Injury Update: Wizards Announce Latest Setback for All-Star Guard
For reference, the Houston Rockets gave up a significant haul to acquire Kevin Durant last year. He is definitely worth the money, but after all the players they had to surrender to get him, they now have a high price to pay for a single player.
Pretty much every team would talk itself into trading for Antetokounmpo, no questions asked. However, by keeping him past the trade deadline, all signs point to the Bucks giving up any chance of getting equal value for him if they decide it is time to start over.
