Giannis Antetokounmpo’s days with the Milwaukee Bucks are plainly over. Antetokounmpo has expressed his displeasure with how the Bucks handled his injury status in a variety of ways prior to the conclusion of the 2025-26 season, and with the Greek Freak appearing prominently in trade talks leading up to the deadline, it makes sense for the Bucks to reevaluate the market for what they can get for the greatest player in franchise history.
While some may see the Bucks’ future prospects with a glass half-full approach, it is clear that Milwaukee is about to face difficult times. Their 32-50 conclusion to the 2025-26 season is only the beginning; they will not own their own first-round selection until 2031, thus they are completely dependent on how other teams finish to decide where their first-rounders land.
The Bucks must be seriously considering pressing the reset button, and at this point, it’s safe to assume that no one is safe. An Antetokounmpo swap looks to be the simplest method for Milwaukee to rebuild, since it would provide the club with considerable draft capital and a promising young player around whom to develop the team.
However, before diving into that, it is critical to examine the complete roster to effectively evaluate how the Bucks should move this offseason.
Bucks don’t have too many untouchables.
Safe from trade: Ryan Rollins.
Amidst the Bucks’ terrible future prognosis, Rollins has emerged as one of the few bright spots on the team. The 23-year-old guard needs to finish in the top three in Most Improved Player voting, as he seized the opportunity presented by Damian Lillard’s injury/departure and went on to become a crucial component of Milwaukee’s future, averaging 17. 3 points, 4. 6 rebounds, and 5. 6 assists in 74 games (67 starts).
Rollins has signed a $4 million contract for next season, with a player option of the same amount for the 2027-28 season. Suffice it to say that the Bucks will be anxious to sign him to a new and better contract.
The Bucks chose to keep the cost-controlled and younger Rollins rather than include him in a deal that would have brought Ja Morant in for a purpose. Rollins is a feel-good tale for a club in need of a victory, and fans should anticipate the 23-year-old to stick with the team for a long time.
Should Milwaukee keep these players?
Up in the Air: Bobby Portis, A. J. Green, Pete Nance
Portis has been mentioned in several trade rumors over the years, yet he remains a popular locker-room presence who might be beneficial to have around even during a rebuilding phase.
It’s not like the 30-year-old big guy has a lot of worth on the market, however he is a battle-tested combo big capable of adding scoring to any competing team in need of frontcourt help. This past season, he averaged 14 and six points on 49/46/71 shooting splits, potentially making him an attractive trade option.
Regardless, Portis does not have a burdensome contract, so the Bucks are not compelled to trade him.
Green has grown increasingly essential to the Bucks in recent years, establishing himself as one of the greatest moving shooters in the NBA. During the 2025-26 season, he averaged three three-pointers per game on a 41. 9 percent clip, and he is currently under contract for $45 million over the next four seasons, which is a reasonable sum for a player of his ability and skill set.
Him being a knockdown shooter at a fair price should make him a desirable trade option for title contenders. However, those are the exact reasons why the Bucks should battle hard to retain him, unless they receive an offer that they cannot refuse.
Green, like Rollins, is a triumph for the Bucks’ developmental staff, and keeping him around will be crucial if Milwaukee wants to be at least competitive in the coming seasons. However, this does not imply that they should ignore trade proposals for him.
Nance’s contract was transformed into a regular one towards the end of the season, indicating that the Bucks trust his potential to help the squad in the future. However, his contract for next season is non-guaranteed, indicating that he might be traded.
A lot has already been said about why the Bucks should or should not trade Antetokounmpo. But the answer is straightforward: the Bucks lack the resources to construct a successful squad around him, and keeping him around would only increase dissatisfaction on both sides.
It’s time for the Giannis era to end
Trade candidates: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Myles Turner, Kyle Kuzma
Antetokounmpo has repeatedly stated that he just wants the opportunity to contend for a title. He would like to do it while in Milwaukee, but he has also clearly stated that his eye is wandering and that he is exploring other possibilities.
The Bucks do not have the future draft pieces to make a huge deal for another player to assist Antetokunmpo, so the best option is to face the reality, pull the plug, and rebuild from scratch.
Turner is the most noticeable consequence of the Bucks’ shortsighted roster construction around Antetokounmpo, which has cost them heavily. As everyone knows, Turner signed with the Bucks after Milwaukee cleared the required salary cap room for him by waiving and stretching Damian Lillard’s deal, and he immediately failed in his first year with the club, averaging only 11. 9 points and 5. 3 rebounds per game.
Will the Bucks acknowledge their error with Turner and trade him away? They must do so if they locate someone willing to purchase him. Paying approximately $84 million for that level of production over the following three seasons does not seem very appealing.
Kuzma is in the final year of his contract, thus the Bucks may use his expiring salary to take on a bad contract in return for a few draft picks.
