Milwaukee Bucks superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo addressed trade rumors and ESPN’s Shams Charania’s report from earlier this month that he and his agent Alex Saratsis have held discussions with the team about his future.
“If my agent is talking to the Bucks about it, he is his own person,” Antetokounmpo said, per The Athletic’s Eric Nehm. “He can have any conversation he wants about it. At the end of the day, I don’t work for my agent; my agent works for me.
“And there’s going to be conversations that are going to be made between him and the Bucks, and him and his other players, and him and other teams and other GMs, executives around the league. It’s something that you can’t control. But at the end of the day, I personally have not had the conversation with the Bucks.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo Locked In With Bucks
Antetokounmpo spoke to reporters for the first time since he suffered a right calf strain on Dec. 3 that caused him to miss Milwaukee’s last five games. The two-time MVP added that he remains committed to the Bucks.
“I’m still locked in, locked in on my teammates. Most importantly, locked in on me getting back healthy,” Antetokounmpo said. “And then, locked in on my teammates and how can I help them from the sideline or encourage them to be able to play and play free? Because at the end of the day, it takes a toll on them, too, right?”
#Bucks Giannis Antetokounmpo:
“I personally have not had the conversation with the Bucks. I’m still locked in. Locked in on my teammates… locked in on my team…
As a leader, but most importantly as a winner, just gotta be there for them first.” @fox6now pic.twitter.com/jDbltyGUsv
— Lily Zhao (@LilySZhao) December 18, 2025
“They’re playing game after game after game,” he continued. “Thank God we’ve had a very good schedule in the last couple of weeks, but it takes a toll on them, too — rumors, injuries, lose, win. It’s hard, right? As a leader, but most importantly as a winner, you just gotta be there for them first.”
Through 17 appearances this season (all starts), Antetokounmpo has averaged 28.9 points, 10.1 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 29.1 minutes per game while shooting a career-best 63.9% from the field and 63.5% from the foul line.
Per Spotrac, Antetokounmpo remains under contract through 2027-28, but he can become a free agent in the 2027 offseason if he declines his $62.8 million player option.
Antetokounmpo Downplays Trade Rumors
On the topic of trade talk, Antetokounmpo believes the gossip won’t go away until the Bucks (11-17) start winning again. Milwaukee has won just three of its last 15 games and ranks 11th in the Eastern Conference.
“Do I hope it ends? For sure. Do I think it’s going to end? No,” Antetokounmpo said. “I think when people see cracks, they see opportunity to get in through those cracks. And I understand it. It’s part of the game. It’s part of winning. You’ve gotta make the right moves to create the best chance for your organization to compete and win a championship.
“So, I get it. If I was on the other side and I was an executive, I would probably do the same thing. Eventually, you’re going to break. We’re going to keep on calling you, and if the team is not doing well or is not performing in the standings the way you guys think it should, we’re going to keep on calling until you say, ‘OK, let’s get it done.’ That’s how it works in business.”
It’s unclear when Antetokounmpo will return from his calf strain injury. The initial prognosis was that he’d miss 2-4 weeks, but the nine-time All-Star doesn’t appear close to returning.
Antetokounmpo also missed four games last month due to a left groin strain.
