The NBA offseason has been buzzing with speculation, but few stories have captured the league’s attention quite like the uncertain future of Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. With the 2025-26 season just around the corner, the Greek Freak’s name is once again at the center of swirling trade rumors—this time with the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers emerging as potential suitors. As the saga unfolds, all eyes are on Milwaukee, New York, and Los Angeles, each city hoping to shape the league’s next superteam era.
It all started when ESPN’s Shams Charania broke the news on October 8, 2025: the Bucks and Knicks had engaged in an “exclusive” round of trade talks back in August after Antetokounmpo reportedly identified New York as his preferred destination outside Milwaukee. While the talks never progressed beyond the exploratory phase, the revelation sent shockwaves across the league and reignited speculation about Giannis’s long-term plans.
Addressing the rumors for the first time after practice on October 9, Antetokounmpo was careful with his words. “First of all, I haven’t read that story,” he told reporters, explaining that he avoids social media once the season starts to focus on his craft and his team. “But yeah, I’ve said this many times: I want to be in a situation where I can win — and right now, I’m here. I believe in this team. I believe in my teammates. I’m here to lead this team to wherever we can go. It’s definitely going to be hard, but I’m here. So all the other extra stuff does not matter.”
Yet, while Giannis reaffirmed his commitment to the Bucks for the present, he stopped short of making any long-term promises. In a moment that left Bucks fans both reassured and uneasy, he added, “I think I’ve communicated with my teammates and the people I respect that the moment I step on this court or in this facility, the rest does not matter. I’m locked into whatever I have in front of me. Now, if in six, seven months I change my mind, I think that’s human too. You’re allowed to make any decision you want. But I’m locked in — to this team, to these guys, to this coaching staff, and to myself.”
This open-ended stance has only fueled further speculation, especially with the Knicks’ exclusive negotiating window now officially closed as of October. “That window is obviously shut,” Charania said on ESPN’s NBA Today. “We’re not in August anymore — we’re now in October. If things reopen during the season with this whole Giannis Antetokounmpo element, that window is no longer exclusive to the Knicks. Other NBA teams will enter the picture. I expect it to go beyond just New York.”
With the Knicks’ path to a Giannis trade no longer exclusive, the Lakers have quietly positioned themselves as a serious contender should the Bucks decide to entertain offers. Los Angeles has spent the offseason maintaining salary cap flexibility and amassing tradeable assets, a strategy made clear after signing Luka Dončić to a three-year, $165 million extension. Team president Rob Pelinka emphasized the Lakers’ dual focus: “We’ve been very intentional with keeping our optionality to make win-now moves if there are good ones to make or to preserve our flexibility in the future. We want to make smart moves, but being in a position of flexibility versus being stuck is really promising for how we’re going to build this team moving forward.”
Meanwhile, the Knicks remain in the conversation, with ESPN’s Brian Windhorst noting that the Bucks’ lack of control over their future draft picks means they can’t afford to tank. “If the Bucks ever reach a position where they feel like they have to trade Giannis, they can’t tank, they don’t control their draft. So if you’re going to make a Giannis trade, it’s probably going to be a player based trade,” Windhorst explained. This scenario favors the Knicks, whose own draft picks are tied up, but who possess enough top-tier talent to assemble a compelling package.
According to league insiders, New York’s strongest offer would likely center around Karl-Anthony Towns, though the Knicks could also pivot to a deal involving two of Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Josh Hart if they wish to keep Towns. The calculus is simple: the Knicks want to remain a championship contender even if they land Giannis, and elite guard play is crucial in today’s NBA. “I actually think the Knicks are in decent position here,” Windhorst said, “because their future picks are tied up too. New York could trade top talent for Giannis and still remain a championship contender.”
Adding another layer to the drama, Antetokounmpo’s personal life has drawn attention. Reports indicate that his wife and children have moved permanently to Athens, Greece, settling in a custom-built apartment complex in the prestigious Paleo Psychiko neighborhood. The family’s two eldest children have begun attending an elite private kindergarten in Athens, and Giannis’s brothers and mother also have residences in the complex. With Newark, New Jersey, being the only U.S. airport offering daily direct flights to and from Athens, some analysts have speculated that the Knicks’ proximity could be a factor if Giannis ever seeks a move to New York.
Inside the Bucks’ camp, the mood is tense but determined. The front office has made bold moves to keep their star happy, including the most surprising transaction of the offseason: stretching and waiving Damian Lillard’s contract—absorbing over $100 million in salary cap space—to sign Myles Turner to a $108.9 million deal. NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley came to the franchise’s defense, stating, “You got to give the Milwaukee Bucks credit. I wish a person loved me as much as the Bucks love Giannis. They went out and got him Dame Lillard. They went out and got him Myles Turner. They have done everything possible to try to make the Bucks win again. So the notion that he don’t feel like they’re doing everything in their power — they have done everything.”
Barkley didn’t hold back in his criticism of Antetokounmpo’s championship-or-bust mentality, saying, “It’s disheartening for me to hear him thinking like, ‘If we don’t win a championship this year, I want to be out of here.’ I hate hearing that.” The Bucks’ aggressive offseason underscores their commitment to winning, but the uncertainty surrounding Giannis’s long-term future lingers like a cloud over Milwaukee’s title ambitions.
Of course, all of this brings back memories of 1975, when the Lakers outbid the Knicks for another generational Milwaukee star—Kareem Abdul-Jabbar—who also initially preferred New York before ultimately landing in Los Angeles. Could history repeat itself? The Lakers, with their global appeal, cap flexibility, and a superstar in Dončić, are quietly waiting in the wings, ready to pounce if Giannis becomes available.
For now, Antetokounmpo insists he’s focused on leading the Bucks to another championship. But with his family settled in Greece, the Knicks and Lakers circling, and the NBA rumor mill churning, the next six months promise to be a wild ride. Whether Giannis stays in Milwaukee, heads to New York, or makes a shocking leap to Los Angeles, one thing’s for sure: the league’s balance of power could shift in an instant. Stay tuned—this story is far from over.
