Throughout the 2025 NBA offseason, all eyes have been on Giannis Antetokounmpo to see if he will request a trade from the Milwaukee Bucks. Back in May, ESPN’s Shams Charania noted that Antetokounmpo was “open-minded” about a change of scenery depending on the Bucks’ offseason moves.
Now, the two-time NBA MVP is reportedly frustrated with Milwaukee’s decision to waive and stretch Damian Lillard to sign Myles Turner, and he seemed upset that Brook Lopez left to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers. Is a trade request coming?
4 Trade Destinations for Bucks Superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo
It’s possible that Antetokounmpo will decide to stay in Milwaukee alongside Turner. However, the fact that Antetokounmpo was already considering a trade request and is now “not pleased” with the Bucks’ major offseason move could spell trouble for Milwaukee.
BREAKING: Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is not pleased with the team’s decision to waive Damian Lillard, league sources tell me. pic.twitter.com/NGqJIWRQeq
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 1, 2025
Let’s break down the top trade destinations for Antetokounmpo in the event that he does ask out.
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets, who were eliminated in the first round after scoring just 89 points in a Game 7 loss to the Golden State Warriors, have already made one splashy trade acquisition this offseason. But even after adding Kevin Durant from the Phoenix Suns, the Rockets still have a ton of first-round picks and young assets to pull off an Antetokounmpo deal.
Adding Antetokounmpo and Durant in a single offseason would be the definition of an all-in summer for the ascending Rockets, who would instantly become the favorites to win the NBA championship.
Antetokounmpo would allow Houston to unlock a new dimension offensively while also improving the defense from Day 1, as he was the 2020 Defensive Player of the Year and has made five All-Defensive teams in his career.
With an abundance of young talent and draft picks, the Rockets could make a very enticing offer to Milwaukee’s decision-makers.
San Antonio Spurs
How much fun would the duo of Victor Wembanyama and Antetokounmpo be? While it may sound crazy at first thought, the Spurs reportedly stayed out of the Durant sweepstakes because they were hoping Antetokounmpo would become available instead.
San Antonio’s 7’5″ cornerstone, Wembanyama, is just 21 years old but showed enough during his sophomore season for the front office to potentially make an all-in move — similar to the trade they made to acquire All-Star point guard De’Aaron Fox last season, but at a higher magnitude.
The Spurs have two lottery talents in Dylan Harper and Carter Bryant that they could flip, along with the reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle.
San Antonio also has their 2028, 2029, and 2030 first-round picks to put on the table, plus a 2030 first-round pick swap with the Dallas Mavericks, who, outside of top pick Cooper Flagg, have an aging roster with an uncertain future. The Spurs could put together a solid offer for the Bucks superstar.
New York Knicks
The New York Knicks have been rumored as a potential destination for Antetokounmpo for years, but things quieted a bit after they made several huge moves last year such as trading for O.G. Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Karl-Anthony Towns.
However, the Knicks are once again interested in acquiring Antetokounmpo’s services. Much like the Spurs, New York opted to sit out the Durant sweepstakes and wait on a potential trade request from Antetokounmpo instead.
New York’s package would likely be built around Towns and either Bridges or Anunoby, which could potentially allow the Bucks to continue to compete in the East as they navigate without their own first-round pick until 2031.
New York is a very real destination for Antetokounmpo.
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are the defending NBA champions, and they aren’t going anywhere thanks to a loaded young core a ridiculous cache of draft picks.
Well, what if the Thunder decide to flip some of those draft picks for Antetokounmpo? Imagine this 68-win champion adding the two-time NBA MVP alongside 2025 MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander? This is a scary thought for the rest of the NBA.
In addition to a ton of picks, the Thunder also have notable young talent that Milwaukee decision-makers could target in All-Star forward Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Cason Wallace, and Nikola Topic, who is relatively unknown but was the No. 12 pick in 2024.
It seems very likely that the Thunder will run it back and stick with their existing core that just won them a championship. But crazier things have happened in the NBA, and Thunder general manager Sam Presti could certainly put together a Godfather offer.
