Bucks executive opens up on Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors

The Milwaukee Bucks' decision to waive-and-stretch Damian Lillard sparked even more Giannis Antetokounmpo rumors on social media.

There were already reports that Antetokounmpo was considering his options and potentially forcing his way out of Milwaukee, and the Lillard move did little to alleviate the situation.

Nevertheless, the weeks have gone by, and Antetokounmpo is still a Buck. More importantly, the team believes that's not going to change any time soon.

"We have no indication that anything is really changing as far as our relationship with the player we think is the best in the world," a Bucks front office executive told Spotrac's Keith Smith. "We rebuilt on the fly, in a really challenging situation, but we think we did it as well as it could be done."

Antetokounmpo trade rumors have cooled off around the league, and while anything can happen in the NBA, that doesn't seem likely at this point.

"Do I think the star guys like Giannis (Antetokounmpo) or LeBron (James) are going to go anywhere? Nope. Is it possible? Sure is," said a Western Conference executive.

Giannis chose to stay in Milwaukee with one of the most lucrative contract extensions in NBA history. He was overly critical of the team's effort last season, and another early playoff exit may have driven him to the edge.

Even so, he's talked about how he wants to win "the right way," as opposed to chasing rings.

That said, with head coach Doc Rivers' long list of questionable postseason performances and a championship window that could be closing right before their eyes, Giannis trade rumors will flood social media again if the Bucks get off to a slow start during the 2026-26 campaign.