NBA exec drops truth bomb on Giannis situation going into 2026

While Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has been the subject of trade rumors in the 2025-26 season, it’s possible that he won’t ask out until he has more leverage in the offseason — if he decides to ask out at all.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps reported thoughts from people around the league about what will happen with the two-time league MVP as the saga enters 2026.

“The rubber is going to finally hit the road,” a Western Conference executive said, “one way or the other.”

This season, the Bucks are just 14-20 and hold the No. 11 spot in the Eastern Conference. They are just 1.5 games back of a play-in spot (and even just 5.5 games back of the No. 4 spot in East), but Milwaukee has struggled mightily when Antetokounmpo has been out of the lineup.

The team has an 11-9 record in the 20 games that the star forward has played in, but it is just 3-11 in the 14 games that he’s missed. If Antetokounmpo suffers another injury this season, it could doom the Bucks’ playoff hopes.

One Eastern Conference scout believes that the nine-time All-Star would have more leverage if he played out this season with Milwaukee before asking for a trade.

“If he waits until the summer [to ask out],” the scout said, “he’ll have maximum leverage on what his future will be.”

The Bucks also reportedly are planning on improving their roster ahead of this year’s trade deadline rather than trading away pieces like Antetokounmpo.

“Sources have reiterated that Milwaukee will spend this trade season focusing on improving the roster around Antetokounmpo before the Feb. 5 deadline” Windhorst and Bontemps wrote. “With Antetokounmpo being the consensus top player in a wide-open conference — the Bucks are just five games behind the fourth-seeded Toronto Raptors — the franchise still sees an opening for a playoff run.”

Another scout doesn’t believe that Antetokounmpo will get traded during the 2025-26 season.

“They aren’t trading him in-season,” a Western Conference scout said.

Even though he’s missed some time due to injury, Antetokounmpo is still averaging 28.9 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game this season while shooting 63.9 percent from the field and 39.3 percent from 3-point range.

The Bucks are certainly capable of making the playoffs in a weak Eastern Conference, but they’ll likely need a run at some point to make a major jump in the standings.

If Antetokounmpo remains with the Bucks through the 2025-26 season, it’ll set up an interesting offseason for the 2021 NBA champion and his future.