After intense speculation surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo leading up to Thursday’s NBA trade deadline, the Milwaukee Bucks made an 11th-hour decision to retain the superstar forward.
While some rival teams reportedly believe Milwaukee was never serious about moving on from its longtime franchise cornerstone, ESPN’s Shams Charania promptly shed light on the underperforming squad’s mindset.
Bucks ‘Genuinely Believe’ They Can Build Another NBA Title Contender Around Giannis Antetokounmpo
Multiple teams had been connected to Antetokounmpo in recent weeks, with the Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Miami Heat emerging as his most likely trade suitors over the past few days.
However, the Bucks ultimately “indicated to teams that they are keeping Antetokounmpo through the trade deadline and will start making other trades,” per Charania’s Thursday report.
The Milwaukee Bucks have indicated to teams that they are keeping Giannis Antetokounmpo through the trade deadline and will start making other trades, sources tell ESPN.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 5, 2026
The league-altering decision, which came hours before the deadline, keeps the 10-time All-Star’s long-term future in flux, with his trade saga expected to drag into the offseason. This comes after Charania reported last week that “Antetokounmpo has been ready for a new home for months” amid Milwaukee’s underwhelming 20-29 season.
Despite the constant updates regarding Antetokounmpo’s possible landing spots, according to Charania, trade talks never got very far due to the Bucks holding out hope about making another all-in title push once Antetokounmpo (calf) returns to full strength.
“These sides engaged, but they never progressed to even close on a deal over the last few days, and now they’re pushing this to the second half of the season, to the offseason,” Charania said.
“The Bucks have the rest of the season now with Giannis, but teams involved believe that the Bucks might truly feel that they can potentially build a contender around Giannis this summer and get him back on board to being there this summer, and so, that is the one thing to keep an eye on here. The Bucks genuinely believe that they can try to build a contender around Giannis in the offseason once again.”
Shams on Giannis:
“These teams engaged but never progressed even close to a deal over the last few days…. Teams involved believe the Bucks feel they can build a contender around Giannis this summer and get him back on board to being there” pic.twitter.com/ciWkCAWdAN
— Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) February 5, 2026
The insider added that Oct. 1 will be “an interesting period to monitor,” as Antetokounmpo will become extension eligible. The two-time MVP is under contract for $58.5 million next season, with a $62.8 million player option for the 2027-28 campaign, meaning Milwaukee will only continue to face more pressure to sort out his future the longer it holds onto him.
While the Bucks successfully built a championship roster around Antetokounmpo in 2021, their limited draft capital after making a series of win-now moves in recent years, combined with their subpar young talent and lack of complementary star power, has put them in a tough spot.
Milwaukee sits just 12th in the wide-open Eastern Conference, having gone 15-15 with Antetokounmpo active and just 5-14 without him. As such, the organization may need to take drastic and creative measures to appease “The Greek Freak.”
