The trade window, the deadline of which is up in less than a week, has heated up with the recent revelation that the Milwaukee Bucks are eagerly listening to offers surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo. The two-time MVP, who is pretty much in his prime, has unsurprisingly attracted interest from a bunch of franchises. The urgency to trade him, however, stems from another reason.
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Teams want Giannis before the deadline on February 6. All signs point toward that happening, because if the Bucks fail in that, they could face issues extending his contract.
Giannis is on contract with the Bucks until the 2027-28 season, with an option year in the deal. So, if a team is able to get him by next week, they would be able to offer him a much longer deal, which would begin in the off-season. Bobby Marks, an NBA insider, recently spoke about the scenario.
“If this passes and we get to the offseason, he can’t be extension eligible until likely January,” Marks said on ESPN.
If a team gets Giannis in the coming days, they can offer him a long-term extension worth $275 million as early as October. However, if no agreement is reached by the 6th, the team that ultimately gets him won’t have extension rights to expand the deal. It could end up being a smaller-duration contract with less money, something the Greek Freak may not like.
“So, there is some type of urgency to get a deal done within the next week here,” Marks added.
Bobby Marks thinks there is some sense of urgency to trade Giannis by the deadline due to his contract extension
“If this passes and we get to the offseason he can’t be extension eligble until likely January. So there is some type of urgency to get a deal done within the next… https://t.co/QmQW5q8izE pic.twitter.com/JGZS30GVSk
— Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) January 29, 2026
Currently, Giannis is out with a calf strain that will keep him out for several weeks. He is expected to be healthy by the time the playoffs begin. Of course, the Bucks’ entrance into the Playoffs is quite iffy to say the least. They lost by 10 points to the Washington Wizards on Thursday, which keeps them in 12th, two spots away from play-in positions.
The New York Knicks and the Golden State Warriors, both big-market teams, are reportedly the favorites to sign him. Both will get Giannis for postseason ball unless something goes horribly wrong. And Giannis’ addition will only fuel championship hopes for the respective fanbases.
