Is a Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade a Possibility this Season?

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With the 2025-26 season just under two weeks away, Giannis Antetokounmpo is once again the talk of the NBA. In early October, ESPN reported that the Milwaukee Bucks superstar had seriously considered requesting a trade, with one team specifically mentioned as a suitor: the New York Knicks.

Last season, the Bucks appeared strong on paper but ended in disappointment. Hampered by injuries, they finished 48-34, securing the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. In the playoffs, Milwaukee lost in five games to the Indiana Pacers in the first round, despite Giannis staying healthy enough to play an entire series for the first time in several years. This marked the Bucks’ third first-round exit in four seasons since their 2021 championship.

Antetokounmpo has spoken about the possibility of leaving Milwaukee for several years, emphasizing his desire to win another championship, whether in Milwaukee or elsewhere. The Bucks’ offseason aimed to convince him they could still build a title contender around him. They stretched and waived an injured Damian Lillard, owing him $113 million over the next five seasons.

Milwaukee’s second-biggest move was signing Myles Turner to fill the center role previously held by Brook Lopez. Other additions included re-signing Bobby Portis, Kevin Porter, Taurean Prince, and Gary Trent Jr., while signing free agents Cole Anthony, Gary Harris, and Amir Coffey, and bringing back Giannis’ brother Thanasis Antetokounmpo on a one-year deal.

According to the same ESPN report, the Bucks and Knicks spoke over the summer about a potential trade, but the two sides could not find common ground. The Knicks have limited trade flexibility. After 2026, they control their first-round draft pick until 2031, but Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns are effectively untouchable. A trade package would likely start with Mikal Bridges (untradable until February) or OG Anunoby, possibly requiring a third team to make salaries work.

Milwaukee and New York are headed in opposite directions. The Knicks have risen from a second-round exit to just two wins shy of the NBA Finals, while the Bucks remain one Giannis injury away from a lost season near the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

Heading into 2025-26, the odds are not in Milwaukee’s favor. ESPN Bet set the Bucks’ over/under at 42.5 wins, six fewer than last season. The Knicks, meanwhile, are projected for 53.5 wins, two more than last season. With the Eastern Conference unusually weak, New York has a legitimate chance to reach the Finals. If the Bucks start slow, Giannis could request a trade to the Knicks during the season. Under contract through 2026-27 (with a player option for 2027-28), Giannis would offer New York a long-term championship centerpiece.

Asked about trade rumors, Giannis reaffirmed his commitment to Milwaukee:

“I think I’ve communicated with my teammates, communicated with the people I respect and love. The moment I step onto this court or in this facility, I wear this jersey. The rest does not matter.”

At the same time, he acknowledged that feelings can change:

“Now, if in six, seven months, I change my mind, I think that’s human too. You’re allowed to make any decision you want, but I’m locked in. I’m locked into this team. I’m locked into these guys, to this group, to this coaching staff, and to myself.”

For now, the basketball world is watching Giannis and the Bucks. While he has made similar comments before, Milwaukee has failed to get him close to another championship, wasting prime years of one of the league’s best players. A homegrown talent entering his 13th season, Giannis has brought Milwaukee its first title in 50 years, yet the team has struggled to reciprocate. With the quarter mark of the season arriving in early December, Giannis could decide his future before the end of the calendar year.