giannis antetokounmpo is again the defining name of the approaching NBA offseason after a 2026 trade deadline where, despite massive attention, no deal happened. The focus now shifts to what Milwaukee does next after what was described as a tumultuous and unproductive season, and how other teams try to position themselves after the 2026 NBA Draft in June. At 9: 00 a. m. ET on March 5, 2026, the picture remains fluid, but the signals and the market logic are getting louder.
Where the offseason stands for Giannis Antetokounmpo right now
The central tension is clear: giannis antetokounmpo has sent mixed signals—generally suggesting he wants to stay with the Milwaukee Bucks for his entire career, while also indicating he does not want to be on a team that has to “scrape and claw” for a playoff spot.
Several competing executives were skeptical Milwaukee was actively trying to move him before the trade deadline, but they also believed something changed behind the scenes: the Bucks’ front office held discussions with teams that had not really happened before. In the franchise’s initial approach to the summer, the expectation shared in that executive chatter is that Milwaukee will first try to add talent alongside its star rather than pivot immediately to a trade.
At the same time, that same circle of executives believes trading him this offseason has “never been more likely” since his arrival in the league in 2013, even if it is not Milwaukee’s first choice.
Knicks prediction shakes up Lakers and Warriors expectations
A separate thread of the conversation is being fueled by a very specific prediction from Boomer Esiason, host at WFAN. Esiason said last Wednesday that Antetokounmpo will be “here next year, ” framing it as an offseason move where teams can offer better assets, and adding a bold directional call: “He’s getting traded to New York, Karl-Anthony Towns is getting shipped out of here. ”
That claim lands as the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors are widely viewed as teams set to battle for the Bucks’ superstar forward this summer. The Knicks angle, though, is also being framed as contingent on how New York finishes the 2025-26 campaign—whether success reduces incentive for a massive swing, or underachievement pushes the organization toward a dramatic move.
Why the Lakers may face headwinds in this race
In another development, Eric Pincus, NBA writer at Bleacher Report, wrote that there is “some buzz in the NBA” pointing to two potential offseason desires that could work against the Lakers: a preference for the East Coast, and a stylistic preference that avoids playing with a ball-dominant lead guard.
Pincus wrote that some believe Antetokounmpo prefers the East Coast, described as closer to Greece by flight and time zone. He also wrote that some claim Antetokounmpo misses playing with partners from the 2021 title run, while adding that it is not to suggest he wants to recreate that exact group. Still, the piece notes a belief that he may not want to play with a ball-dominant lead guard, preferring to be the primary engine of the offense.
The Lakers’ situation is directly relevant because the team has Luka Doncic, a high-usage guard. The same reporting notes Doncic is scoring at a league-leading rate this season at 32. 4 points per game with 47% shooting, 35% from three, and that he has been locked into a long-term extension. The Lakers’ broader roster planning is also being framed around LeBron James, whose decision looms and who has not ruled out retirement.
What’s next as the market opens after the draft
Executives believe Milwaukee used the trade deadline to gauge the market, with an eye on how offers could change after the 2026 NBA Draft in June. One example laid out in the same executive-focused reporting: the Lakers had only one future first-round pick to offer in February, but that could rise to three in a draft-day agreement executed in July, when the Lakers could theoretically pick for Milwaukee in 2026, plus 2031 and 2032.
The unresolved question is how much influence giannis antetokounmpo wants to exert, because his leverage is tied to a $62. 8 million player option for 2027-28. If he declines it, the upcoming season becomes his last under contract—giving him a powerful negotiating tool in any offseason standoff over staying, moving, or directing a destination.
