Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo and agent Alex Saratsis have initiated conversations with the team about the two-time MVP’s future, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.
According to Charania, Antetokounmpo and Saratsis are talking to the Bucks in the hopes of determining whether the forward’s best fit is in Milwaukee or elsewhere, with a resolution expected in the coming weeks.
Antetokounmpo’s future in Milwaukee became the subject of intense scrutiny over the offseason after the Bucks were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for a third consecutive year and lost Damian Lillard to an Achilles tear in the process.
Although the 30-year-old has repeatedly expressed his love for the city and the franchise, he has also made it clear that being in position to contend for titles remains his number one goal. Antetokounmpo was said to have “serious questions” about the Bucks’ championship potential and spoke to the team over the summer about the idea of exploring a possible “alternative path forward.” At that time, he reportedly conveyed that he’d be interested in the Knicks if he were to leave Milwaukee.
The Bucks briefly engaged in trade talks with the Knicks, according to reports, but weren’t compelled by what New York had to offer and gained no traction toward a deal. Instead of moving Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee’s front office did its best to try to upgrade the roster around him, waiving and stretching Lillard’s maximum-salary contract in order to create cap room to sign center Myles Turner, one of the top free agents on the market.
According to Charania, Antetokounmpo reaffirmed his commitment to the Bucks ahead of the season and came into camp expecting to evaluate how the first 25 or so games of the season went before making any decisions about his future. Asked during the preseason about the report linking him to the Knicks, Giannis expressed confidence in Milwaukee’s revamped roster, but didn’t deny the rumor and didn’t rule out the possibility that he could change his mind “in six, seven months.”
After a 4-1 start this fall, the Bucks have slumped, losing eight of their past nine games and dropping to 9-13 on the season, which puts the team outside the top 10 in the Eastern Conference. Milwaukee has outscored opponents by 8.8 points per 100 possessions when Antetokounmpo is on the court, but has a dismal -11.0 net rating when he’s not on the floor.
Sources who spoke to Charania described the Bucks’ recent skid as frustrating for Antetokounmpo and the rest of the organization, with one source suggesting the “writing is on the wall” for a potential change of scenery for the superstar forward unless Milwaukee can begin turning things around in the very near future.
While the Knicks had something of an exclusive negotiating window in the offseason, that wouldn’t be the case if Antetokounmpo decides to ask for a trade this winter, Charania writes. A number of teams around the NBA would be expected to get involved in that scenario — the Heat and Nets are among the clubs who have repeatedly been described in the past as potential suitors for Giannis, though there may be others who could offer more compelling packages.
Antetokounmpo, who will celebrate his 31st birthday on Saturday, continues to produce at an MVP level so far this season, averaging 30.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 6.4 assists in just 30.8 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .639/.435/.630. His maximum-salary contract includes a cap hit of $54.1MM this season, with a guaranteed $58.5MM salary for 2026/27. He holds a $62.8MM player option for ’27/28 and will become extension-eligible next October.