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Bucks' Stance on Blockbuster NBA Trade With Giannis Antetokounmpo Revealed

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Malik Brown | Last updated May 5, 2025 11:14 AM ET

The Milwaukee Bucks will be heading into the offseason with more questions than answers after losing to the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the playoffs. After a season that saw them bounce back from early struggles, injuries once again dominated the storyline toward the postseason, as Damian Lillard dealt with blood clots. He returned in the playoffs, but then suffered an Achilles injury, which ruled him out for the remainder of the series.

Everyone is now checking the temperature of the Bucks and are wondering what this means for the future of Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Bucks star has lost in the first round of the playoffs for three straight seasons, and some think that he may ask for a trade in the offseason so he can maximize his prime elsewhere.

NBA insider Marc Stein shared his thoughts on the Bucks trading Antetokounmpo and thinks they'll only consider it if he asks.

"I don’t think Giannis himself does not want to go to the Bucks and say ‘trade me’. But next year there’s no way with Damian Lillard carrying a salary of nearly 60 million they don’t have control of their own first round pick till 2031, they don’t have a pathway to build a contender around him at this point," Stein said on the All NBA podcast. "But the rumbles that you always hear are that just having Giannis is so important to them financially. They’re not going to trade him unless he pushes it."

The Bucks don't have much flexibility moving forward, and it will be tough for them to build a contender the way the team is currently constructed. If Antetokounmpo sees that, there's a chance he could ask for a trade.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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