Shams Charania of ESPN broke the news last month that Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is “open-minded” about leaving Milwaukee in a potential trade deal this offseason.
ESPN NBA Insiders Propose Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade
Charania’s report came weeks before NBA insider Jake Fischer said that initial optimism from league executives about Antetokounmpo asking for a trade might have just been “skepticism.”
Fischer reported during a Bleacher Report live stream that “there is not a lot of belief right now at this juncture” about a trade request happening, as Antetokounmpo is set to begin a three-year, $175.36 million contract.
“If there is a decision, a formal decision made to shut or open the door on trade conversations for Giannis this summer, that it would likely happen closer to the end of June and when the offseason really, really begins,” Fischer said.
This all means the Greek Freak would never get dealt unless he asked to be moved.
However, ESPN recently proposed this trade deal between the Bucks and Detroit Pistons:
Detroit Pistons Receive:
– Giannis Antetokounmpo
Milwaukee Bucks Acquire:
– Tobias Harris
– Jaden Ivey
– Isaiah Stewart
– 2027 first-round pick
– 2029 first-round pick
– 2031 first-round pick
In this proposed deal, the Pistons are sending out three future first-round draft picks to go along with Tobias Harris, Jaden Ivey, and Isaiah Stewart. Harris is on an expiring contract, Ivey only appeared in 30 games this season, and Stewart missed the majority of the 2025 playoffs.
Pistons Control Their First-Round Picks For Next Seven years
For the first time since the 2020 offseason, Detroit has control of its first-round picks for the next seven years, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
Starting the night of the draft, the Pistons are allowed to trade up to four firsts and allowed to swap firsts in every season. They have 15 second-rounders available as well.
In addition, Detroit has five free agents this offseason: Malik Beasley, Tim Hardaway Jr., Dennis Schroder, Paul Reed, and Daniss Jenkins (R). Such a trade could potentially work for this young team.
The Pistons are well positioned financially to retain their three free agents or explore free agency and trades. No player outside of Cade Cunningham is set to earn more than $27 million in salary next year.
Trading Giannis Antetokounmpo Would Destroy Bucks
Putting aside the three first-round draft picks, this seems like a bad trade for Milwaukee. The Bucks would be taking a big risk by trading away their former first-rounder and future Hall of Famer.
Between 1990 and 2018, the Bucks made the playoffs only 13 times and got past the first round just once. They advanced as far as the Eastern Conference finals in 2001 before losing in Game 7 to the Philadelphia 76ers.
In other words, the trade is just stupid. It’s not a move that general manager Jon Horst should ever entertain. Extending Antetokounmpo’s championship window needs to be Horst’s top priority.
“It’s still the awesome responsibility to try to take this franchise and maximize the window that we have now as best we can and what we think gives us the best chance to win, and figure out how to continue winning going forward,” Horst said after trading for Kyle Kuzma in February.
Although Antetokounmpo remains under contract through 2027-28, he can become a free agent in the 2027 offseason if he declines his $62.8 million player option.
