The Warriors have long fantasized about adding Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo next to Stephen Curry in pursuit of a fifth championship in the Steve Kerr era. However, the odds of that happening continue to shrink.
In an interview with Greece’s COSMOTE TV, Antetokounmpo confirmed that he has no intention of seeking a trade from the Bucks at any point in his career.
“I don’t think that I would ever text (and ask for a trade), I am not this kind of guy, they would have to kick me out,” Antetokounmpo said, via EuroHoops.
Earlier in the interview, Antetokounmpo joked about the Bucks trading him to a smaller market like the Detroit Pistons, citing the example of the Mavericks moving Luka Doncic to the Lakers.
“At least Luka went from Dallas to LA, why you are sending me to Detroit?” he asked jokingly. “NBA is business if I got traded I would inform my family and would do my job.”
Loyalty A Big Factor for Antetokounmpo
Hailing from a small town in Greece, Antetokounmpo has often spoken about the importance of loyalty to his basketball legacy. In the past, “The Greek Freak” has spoken about following in the footsteps of Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki and Tim Duncan as legends who spent their entire careers with one franchise.
In his chat with COSMOTE TV, the two-time MVP reiterated that desire while talking about his honor of being Greece’s flagbearer at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“What are the chances for a kid, born in Sepolia, to Nigerian parents who were illegal immigrants to be the first person to open the ceremony? 0.000001% maybe?” he asked. “I swear to you that I didn’t know my mother was there, somehow she managed to get down to the river bank and she made a sound that I can hear from everywhere and suddenly I saw her. I was like, hi mom!”
Will Warriors Trade For Another Star?
Although the Warriors added six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler at the 2025 NBA trade deadline, there is increasing belief that the franchise is not done making big moves. According to multiple insiders, Golden State could resume its pursuit of Kevin Durant in the summer of 2025, and potentially inquire about Antetokounmpo’s availability with the Bucks. The latter scenario largely depends on Milwaukee’s performance in the 2025 playoffs, where they are expected to run into juggernauts such as the Celtics, Cavaliers and Knicks.
“Outside of Durant and James, Giannis Antetokounmpo is the other Tier 1 superstar that the Warriors view as a dream trade target, sources said,” Clutch Points’ Brett Siegel wrote on February 3. It is highly unlikely that the Bucks would part ways with Giannis right now, especially given Golden State’s lack of enticing assets.
If the Bucks fail to make another deep postseason run, following the disappointments of 2023 and 2024, they could potentially blow up the roster, making Antetokounmpo a coveted target for teams across the league.
“Like the Suns, the Bucks are fighting to remain in the title picture despite a crushing luxury tax that is causing the team to operate tens of millions in the red, with very limited ways to adjust the roster,” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst wrote on February 10. “The good news is superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has shown nothing but support and investment in the team. But he knows all of the above, too.”
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