Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis have been teammates for five seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks, and together they won a championship in 2021. But if you asked Portis, he does not know if the road ends this summer amid all the rumors surrounding Giannis’ exit.
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For almost a year now, the possibility of Giannis leaving the Bucks has been one of the biggest talking points in NBA circles. Many believed he would move on before the 2025-26 season began. Later, others were convinced he would pack his bags for a bigger market team before the February deadline. Neither scenario materialized, but the saga is far from over.
Now, nearing the end of a dreadful season in which the Bucks find themselves 11th in the East with 19 games left, trade packages involving Giannis are reportedly being explored. It has reached the point where not even Portis knows if his longtime friend will still be in Milwaukee next year.
“I’m at a five, bro. I’m right in the middle… It’s up in the air, man,” Portis said on Run It Back, talking about his confidence in Giannis staying from 1-10.
To be fair, most of the NBA community, including journalists, would agree with Portis. Nobody is sure if Giannis will be a Buck for life or if he will try to win another title elsewhere in the later stages of his career. It has been a fascinating discussion all season.
Portis knows Giannis better than most, and understands that a future Hall of Famer like him will always have the desire to win Championships. As things stand, the Bucks are nowhere near good enough to do that.
“Obviously, our goal isn’t just to make the play-in. The goal isn’t just to make the playoffs. Since I’ve been here, the goal has always been championship. So, I don’t know what that outlook is for next year,” he admitted.
Bobby Portis spends more time with Giannis than most, and even he doesn’t know if they’ll be Bucks teammates next season ♂️
Bobby expects this offseason to bring plenty of uncertainty to Milwaukee if a championship isn’t won…
But the known jokester will probably appreciate… pic.twitter.com/EM2d7Emhi7
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) March 9, 2026
Giannis has expressed his love for Milwaukee several times in the past. He is also in the first year of a veteran max extension. All signs should point to him remaining with the team.
But at the end of the day, that is not the reality of the situation. As long as the Bucks continue to underperform, the Giannis rumors will persist. They are currently 27-36 and will receive the worse of the Pelicans’ and Hawks’ first-round picks in the 2026 NBA Draft. It is a bad situation that does not look like it will get better anytime soon.
