The NBA trade deadline has passed, but the saga of Giannis Antetokounmpo continues to wage on. The Greek Freak has been rumored to be getting dealt away from the Milwaukee Bucks since the squad was eliminated in the first round of the 2025 playoffs. It seemed that everyone wanted to go their separate ways.
Advertisement
It doesn’t help that the media coverage around the situation is nonstop. Reports of the Timberwolves, Knicks, Warriors, Lakers, and Heat all putting together hypothetical packages for the 31-year-old superstar surfaced every single day. All those hypotheticals are exciting and would a huge shakeup for the East or the West.
But the reality is that Giannis is still a Buck and will continue to be a Buck for the rest of the season. And according to Chris Haynes, he’s happy where he is. The NBA Insider reminded the b-ball audience on the latest edition of NBA on Prime that the former league MVP never requested a trade from the Bucks. Not only that, but Giannis might even be able to return from his calf injury in time for the All-Star game.
“He never requested a trade. Right now, he’s happy. I was told he’s committed to getting back healthy from the calf injury. He’s progressing really well to the point he might even play in the All Star game,” stated Haynes. That is similar to reports that we heard at the beginning of the year. Antetokounmpo WANTS to make it work in Milwaukee, and is just pressuring the franchise to get him some help.
Chris Haynes on Giannis:
“He never requested a trade… Right now, he’s happy. I was told he’s committed to getting back healthy from the calf injury. He’s progressing really well to the point he might even play in the All Star game. What ultimately stopped a deal from being… pic.twitter.com/GGJEdv8UyO
— Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) February 6, 2026
That’s not all. Haynes added that Giannis is committed to making a playoff push with the Bucks this postseason. That doesn’t mean that an eventual deal won’t happen, since analysts like Brian Windhorst and Shams Charania wouldn’t reports that for no reason. But it does mean that the story will extend into this summer.
“What ultimately stopped a deal from being made? The Bucks we’re simply in intel gathering phase…. For right now Giannis is happy, he’s focused and wants to make a playoff push so this thing will extend for another 5 months,” claimed Haynes.
At some point, it’s fair to wonder if the Giannis trade noise says more about the league than it does about Giannis. Every team talks itself into the idea that one superstar solves everything, and every rumor cycle needs a headliner. But Giannis has already shown he values stability, legacy, and pressure on the front office more than chaos.
Milwaukee isn’t a glamour market, but it is his market, and that still matters to certain stars. If the Bucks make a couple smart moves and look competitive, this whole saga could cool off fast. If they don’t, then the real fireworks probably come in the summer. Either way, the NBA has learned one thing…as long as Giannis is breathing, he’s going to be the center of the rumor mill.
