Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is reportedly “open-minded” about his future in terms of where he finishes his career, per ESPN’s Shams Charania. Conversations quickly swirled around league circles about who could be in the market for the two-time MVP.
5 Trade Destinations for Bucks Superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo
This isn’t the first time that Antetokounmpo has touched on the subject of leaving Milwaukee; yet this instance feels different, as the Bucks seemingly have no viable paths to a championship-level roster after a first-round playoff exit. They previously made trades for guards Jrue Holiday (2020) and Damian Lillard (2023) that opened championship windows.
But with Lillard sidelined with a torn achilles that will keep him out for a majority — if not all — of the 2025-26 season, there’s a dearth of moves for the Bucks to make with an aging and, more importantly, expensive roster.
Amid the news, who are the five teams that could make a run for Antetokounmpo’s talents in the ensuing months?
Houston Rockets
The Rockets, who were eliminated in the first round after scoring just 89 points in a game 7 loss to the Golden State Warriors, should be in the market for whatever offensive talent they can get this offseason.
Coming off three straight seasons averaging over 30 points, Antetokounmpo would immediately 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.
Of course, the team that wins the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes has to have trade pieces; Houston has that and more.
With an abundance of young talent — think Jalen Green, Tari Eason, and Jabari Smith Jr. as players who could be available — and draft picks, as they have five tradable first-round picks, and 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 could decide to join the running for the Bucks’ superstar.
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 at midseason, but at a higher magnitude.
They hold two picks within the 2025 NBA Draft lottery: their own, which came out to No. 2 and the Atlanta Hawks’ pick at No. 14. In what’s considered a loaded draft, one or both picks combined with a couple young Spurs such as Devin Vassell and/or Jeremy Sochan could get the job done.
The Spurs also have their 2028, 2029, and 2030 unprotected picks to put on the table as well as one that could place them above other Antetokounmpo contenders: a 2030 first-round pick swap with the Dallas Mavericks, who, outside of eventual top pick Cooper Flagg, have an aging roster with an uncertain future.
New York Knicks
The Knicks have been rumored as a potential destination for Antetokounmpo for years but quieted that sentiment when they made several huge moves last calendar year that included trading for wings O.G. Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and big man Karl-Anthony Towns.
Currently in a battle with the Boston Celtics in the second round, if New York manages to blow a 2-0 series lead, the mood in New York could change quickly to what moves they can make to advance to contender status once again.
The proposed trade would more than likely center around Karl-Anthony Towns — who has once again disappointed in the postseason, averaging just 19.3 points — and one of the newly acquired star wings.
This could potentially allow the Bucks to continue to compete in the East as they navigate without their own first-round pick until 2031. Or, Milwaukee could attempt to get their own picks back by moving Towns and whichever wing they end up with and embracing a full-on tank.
The possibilities are endless there, but, depending on how the Knicks’ season ends, New York is a very real destination for Antetokounmpo — no matter how surprising that sounds.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Of similar ilk in terms of league-rocking destinations for Antetokounmpo is Oklahoma City, which has as large of a cache of draft picks as we’ve seen in recent NBA history. In fact, they have 11 tradeable first-rounders through 2030.
The No. 1 seed in the Western Conference and with a league-leading 68 wins, the combination of a two-time MVP forward with presumptive 2025 MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander would be scary for the rest of the NBA.
The Thunder also have notable young talent that Milwaukee decision-makers could target: All-Star forward Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Cason Wallace, or Nikola Topic, who is relatively unknown but was the 12th pick in 2024.
Certainly, if the Thunder emerge from a tough second-round series with the Denver Nuggets and run the table all the way to an NBA championship, this would be a moot point as general manager Sam Presti would likely run it back.
But if OKC underperforms, the Thunder have the potential to overwhelm Bucks brass with an offer they can’t resist.
Dallas Mavericks
After winning the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery, the Mavericks will have the opportunity to select Duke Blue Devils phenom Cooper Flagg. Would they be willing to enter the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes?
The eventual addition of the 18-year-old Flagg doesn’t necessarily fit the timeline that general manager Nico Harrison has set, as he’s been on record saying their contending window is within the next 3-4 years. At that rate, Flagg won’t yet be in his prime beside accomplished but aging stars in Kyrie Irving (33) and Anthony Davis (32). Irving is also recovering from a torn ACL, which tightens the timeline further.
Considered to be a generational talent, Flagg could be the immediate headliner in restarting the Bucks’ franchise timeline, while Antetokounmpo could fit perfectly into the Mavericks’ win-now outlook.
Harrison took massive amounts of criticism for his decision to trade Luka Doncic; would he dare pull off another blockbuster deal and acquire Antetokounmpo?
It’s certainly something to, at the very least, have a conversation about.