With the Milwaukee Bucks struggling early in the season, there have been rumors of Giannis Antetokounmpo possibly requesting a trade in the future.
There have been a few teams that have been mentioned in an Antetokounmpo pursuit over the years, including the New York Knicks. Now, with the recent Karl-Anthony Towns trade, there are rumors that the trade could be a part of an Antetokounmpo pursuit, according to Marc Stein.
“The Knicks, meanwhile, were mentioned more often in recent months than the Heat or Warriors as a potential down-the-road trade suitor for Antetokounmpo … albeit before their late-September acquisition of Karl-Anthony Towns from Minnesota,” Stein wrote. “I've heard more than one rival team since the trade, mind you, wonder aloud about whether having a player of Towns' caliber on the roster for a potential future Antetokounmpo offer was among the Knicks' motivations for giving in on their long-held reluctance to include Donte DiVincenzo in trade talks with the Timberwolves and push for that deal's completion when they did on top of New York's obvious need for a frontline center.
“Be advised that any of these concepts presumes that the Bucks, if pushed into such a corner, would consent to work with their star on potential trade destinations rather than heading into the marketplace purely to pursue the richest combination of young talent and draft compensation. Antetokounmpo is under contract for two full seasons beyond this one before he could decline his $63 million player option in 2027-28 to become a free agent.”
Could Giannis Antetokounmpo request a trade?
The Bucks came into the season with high expectations, but they are now 1-5 to start and many could see a potential tear-down of the team if things don't get better.
NBA executives are saying that they wouldn't be surprised by a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade by the trade deadline, while some are hoping that the Bucks reach a breaking point where they press the reset button.
Despite the slow start, Antetokounmpo has stayed positive and believes that the team can turn their season around.
“This is part of the season it’s not going our way,” Antetokounmpo said after their loss to th Memphis Grizzlies. “But, losing two, losing three, losing four, losing five, losing six in row; losing one, it’s always frustrating. But, again, my dad used to say, ‘Why do (you) whine if you’re not going to give up?’ So I’m not going to give up.”
