For the third straight year, the Milwaukee Bucks have crashed out of the NBA Playoffs in the first round, as they were eliminated by the Indiana Pacers in five games this time around. In the wake of this defeat, Giannis Antetokounmpo has seen his name pop up in trade rumors quite frequently.
After winning the 2021 NBA Finals, the Bucks have struggled in the playoffs, winning just one postseason series in 2022 before getting bounced in the first round the next three years. The team's plan to pair Antetokounmpo with Damian Lillard hasn't worked out as expected, leading to questions about what the future holds for the Greek superstar.
Trade rumors have quietly lurked around Antetokounmpo in recent seasons, but they have never felt more prevalent now that Milwaukee has suffered their third straight playoff exit. As the noise begins to rise, Antetokounmpo offered a four-word message on the matter after hearing his teammate Bobby Portis' comments on the situation.
"Don't worry about me!" Antetokounmpo commented in reply to a post on Instagram.
Giannis Antetokounmpo responds to comments made by Bobby Portis on today’s episode of Run It Back 👀
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) May 9, 2025
Giannis is so unserious…or this is 4D chess. I really can’t tell with him anymore 😭 pic.twitter.com/9FoqamoMNu
Antetokounmpo's massive contract would create some issues for the Bucks if they are looking to trade him, as there would be only a select few teams that would be able to actually swing a deal for the superstar forward. Where there's a will, there's a way, and if push comes to shove, Milwaukee will be able to move Antetokounmpo.
For now, the trade rumors are nothing more than that; rumors. There's a chance that this could be the offseason where the Bucks opt to blow their team up, and that could involve moving on from Antetokounmpo. For now, he seems calm, but things could begin heating up very soon.