Overview
- Multiple teams believe the Bucks will consider pitches for Giannis Antetokounmpo in January ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline, per Marc Stein.
- To date Milwaukee has not made Antetokounmpo available and has conveyed interest in upgrades around him, including due diligence on Zach LaVine, with limited first-round capital to trade this season.
- League chatter now views the Spurs, Rockets and Thunder as unlikely in-season bidders, narrowing the field that often features the Knicks, Heat and Lakers in speculation.
- Los Angeles is prioritizing 3-and-D help and players on Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves’ age timeline, with Keon Ellis viewed as attainable and Herb Jones’ cost presumed out of reach; any Giannis pursuit would likely require Austin Reaves plus picks and salary.
- Antetokounmpo remains sidelined by a calf strain as the 11-16 Bucks weigh options, with Dec. 15 and Jan. 15 trade-eligibility milestones shaping when substantial offers can materialize.