Over the summer, Giannis Antetokounmpo openly questioned whether the Milwaukee Bucks could remain true contenders and explored possible alternatives for himself and the team.
ESPN reports that “Giannis Antetokounmpo voiced his concerns over the viability of the Milwaukee Bucks as a title contender … and he wanted to explore whether there would be an alternative path forward.”
His agent, Alex Saratsis, fielded widespread interest, with “the New York Knicks the one team to emerge where Antetokounmpo had interest in playing.”
In August, the Bucks and Knicks discussed a deal, but “the teams never gained traction,” as Milwaukee showed no desire to move him and believed “New York didn’t make a strong enough offer.”
One source called the talks “an exclusive negotiating window.” The Knicks, meanwhile, felt Milwaukee wasn’t serious about trading him.
Whispers connecting Antetokounmpo to New York go back years, though the Knicks have since spent significant draft capital on trades for Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns, leaving them “with one first round pick to trade plus three picks swaps.”
“Bucks sources had feared Antetokounmpo could make a formal trade request during the week of July 28 when Jon Horst traveled on his one-day trip to Greece,” but no such demand was made.
Instead, this offseason represented the first time Antetokounmpo seriously weighed options outside Milwaukee.
He “will become eligible for a four-year, $275 million extension on October 1, 2026,” whether with the Bucks or another team after a trade.
For now, he’ll watch Milwaukee’s early season performance closely following the addition of Myles Turner and the decision to waive-and-stretch Damian Lillard.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Explored Other Teams In Offseason, Prefers Knicks If Traded https://t.co/FnLIRI2EyQ
— RealGM (@RealGM) October 7, 2025
