Giannis Antetokounmpo went public to declare that he would never ask for a trade away from the Milwaukee Bucks, which is the only team he has ever played for in the NBA. But that does not mean the franchise cannot be forced to look for offers that would move him elsewhere.
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The two-time MVP signed a three-year, $175 million veteran max extension this past offseason. It was supposed to put an end to the rumors of him wanting to leave the Bucks, but instead, it has dragged well into this season, mostly because the team has underperformed and currently stands at a 17–21 record.
Giannis, in all honesty, has been heavily committed to the Bucks throughout all of its hardships. He spoke, as recently as 2025, about wanting to win another title in Milwaukee. But now, it is hard to ignore one massive catch in the contract and that it could lead to him being traded one day.
Giannis has a player option for the 2027-28 season and could opt out after next year. This was something that former NBA veteran Richard Jefferson pointed out recently, laying out the nightmare scenario for Bucks fans.
“He could leave after next season. He could opt out,” Jefferson said on Road Trippin’. “If Giannis doesn’t want to ask for a trade, Milwaukee doesn’t want to trade him, there is a scenario in which he could just leave in free agency. And if they come to Giannis with an extension, and he says no, they have to then make a decision.”
It was an important thing to point out. Jefferson’s co-hosts didn’t want to entertain the idea at this stage, but with trade rumors continuing to swirl around Giannis, he thought it was a fair point to bring up. Later on, Jefferson insisted that the Bucks couldn’t let Giannis leave without getting anything in return.
“Do they come to him and say, ‘Hey, if you’re going to leave, can we work out a sign and trade? We can’t let the greatest player in our franchise history… Can’t let him go for nothing.’ Could they trade him? Yes!” Jefferson exclaimed.
If the Bucks were smart, they would be considering this as a realistic option down the road. If Giannis can’t bring them to the promised land this season, things are going to get testy this offseason, and those ideas of him leaving for a different team may grow larger in his mind.
At the end of the day, though, Jefferson may be a bit early on this topic. But it is a good thing to be mindful of, especially for the Bucks’ front office. They can’t let Giannis walk for nothing after this contract is up. If he leaves, it should be through a trade where they are acquiring assets to rebuild.
