Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo addresses trade rumors ahead of NBA deadline

Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News on Feb 4, 2026

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What Giannis Antetokounmpo wants versus what actually happens could go down as two very different things.

Amid swirling trade rumors, Antetokounmpo reiterated in two new interviews that his ideal scenario is to remain with the Milwaukee Bucks and to compete for championships with the team that drafted him 13 years ago.

But the Bucks have not come close to returning to the NBA Finals since winning the 2021 title, which is why the 31-year-old Antetokounmpo’s future is so uncertain ahead of Thursday afternoon’s NBA trade deadline.

“If you ask me deep down what I want today, I want to be a Milwaukee Buck for the rest of my career,” Antetokounmpo told The Athletic in a report published Wednesday.

“I want to win here, another championship. And if you can tell me that’s possible, let’s just hang up the phone.”

However, Milwaukee entered Wednesday with a 19-29 record and in 12th place in the Eastern Conference. In each of the past three postseasons, the Bucks were eliminated in the first round.

That’s why the Bucks are exploring a reset by trading the two-time NBA MVP, and why ESPN reported last week that Antetokounmpo was “ready for a new home.”

The Knicks, Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves are considered top suitors for Antetokounmpo, who is expected to miss another month or so due to a calf strain but is averaging 28.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game this season.

Antetokounmpo’s latest comments come about a month after he told The Athletic that he “will never” request a trade.

“I want to be here, but I want to be here to win, not fighting for my life to make the playoffs. I’m not used to inconsistent basketball,” Antetokounmpo said in Wednesday’s report.

“I’ve played so many years of consistent basketball, I am not used to it anymore. During the game, I don’t know if you can see my face, (but) I get frustrated during the game.”

If a trade does not come together by Thursday’s 3 p.m. EDT cutoff, the Bucks could revisit one this offseason, when the Knicks and Heat would be eligible to offer more first-round picks.

The Warriors, meanwhile, have explored trade packages involving 35-year-old forward Draymond Green, who confirmed Tuesday night that head coach Steve Kerr had spoken to him about the possibility.

“I’ve been here for 13 1/2 years,” said Green, who has won four championships with the Warriors.

“I don’t know that it ends at 13 1/2, but if it does, what a f–king run it’s been.”

Milwaukee attempted to rebuild its roster last summer by waiving injured guard Damian Lillard, using the “stretch provision” to spread out his remaining cap hit, and signing center Myles Turner to a four-year, $107 million contract.

Still, the Bucks reportedly discussed with the Knicks what a trade for Antetokounmpo might look like last offseason.

And while Antetokounmpo says his preference would be to remain in Milwaukee and win another championship, the latter would take some serious heavy lifting.

“If that is not possible to happen, and if then you realize maybe that’s not the case and maybe they’re looking elsewhere and that’s not what they’re trying to do, then automatically you have to be in the plans of what they’re trying to do or weigh the other options,” Antetokounmpo told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Tuesday night. “It’s normal.”