As teams refine their rosters, preparing for the NBA’s next era, several stars could be on the move in the coming months. However, they’re all hovering around Milwaukee Bucks showstopper Giannis Antetokounmpo. At 31 years old, he’s no longer in the spring of his youth. Nevertheless, he remains an elite forward who leaves his palm prints on the game at both ends. He’s so dominant in fact that everyone thinks it’s a travesty he’s playing for the Bucks, who are 17-24 midway through the 2025-26 season.

This feeling has become so palpable it’s educing tangible results.

‘Whole League Is Watching’ Giannis Antetokounmpo, Broken Bucks

In spite of Antetokounmpo’s declarations of team loyalty, many believe it’s only a matter of time before he asks for a trade. Indeed, “there’s a whole bunch of teams around the league –the (Atlanta) Hawks, the (Golden State) Warriors, the (Los Angeles) Lakers, the (Miami) Heat, maybe the (New York) Knicks –that are sort of thinking to themselves: ‘Do we need to keep all of our stuff and wait for Giannis to maybe become available, whether it’s now or in the summer, when the Bucks can offer him an extension?’” (h/t NBA on Prime’s Zach Lowe)

“The whole league is watching,” Lowe adds. “If they slide any further down the standings… does Giannis push the button now instead of waiting until the summer?”

Mar 30, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) drives for the basket during the first quarter against the Atlanta Hawks at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Atlanta Hawks

Atlanta, ironically just over an hour away from a city named Athens, has been floated as a dark horse destination for the Greek Freak since last year. And why not?

With an average age of 25.6 years old, the Hawks are tied for the 10th-youngest team in the NBA. They have multiple all-league-caliber players, namely 24-year-old point-forward Jalen Johnson and 22-year-old jumbo guard Dyson Daniels. A now infamous draft day trade left with them with the New Orleans Pelicans’ 2026 first-round pick, a projected top-five selection. Their foundation has already been laid but with Antetokounmpo in the mix, they can thrust open their championship window.

If they were to negotiate a trade with the Bucks, they’d probably have to give up one of their top assets. Even so, they’d still have more than enough to build around.

Golden State Warriors

The Warriors were initially named as a team to watch out for if Antetokounmpo left the Bucks back in 2019. However, that was if Antetokounmpo opted against signing an extension with Milwaukee and became a free agent in the 2021 offseason. Instead, Antetokounmpo ended up signing a contract extension with the Bucks in December 2020 before going on to win an NBA championship.

Last fall, he was unmasked as one of the players that the Warriors could see succeeding Stephen Curry as the face of the franchise. However, their focus was again said to be on free agency, this time the summer of 2027.

If Golden State were to trade for Antetokounmpo in the near future, he’d more than likely join a core headlined by Curry and Jimmy Butler III. Suffice it to say, that’s quite the Big Three on paper.

Los Angeles Lakers

Between the glitz and glamour of the city and the illustrious history of the franchise, L.A. has quite the pull on stars that enter its orbit. Antetokounmpo could be next, especially with Lakers franchise cornerstone Luka Doncic making a special request for his services (h/t FOX32 Chicago’s Lou Canellis on 670 The Score). It isn’t just the peripheral argument that makes sense though.

Doncic and Antetokounmpo alone could lead a team to a championship. Doncic is all but a one-man army on offense, possessing innate scoring instincts and inexplicable passing prowess. Antetokounmpo is arguably the top two-way player in the league, his effectiveness around the rim and game-changing defensive plays hallmarks of his game. Their individual strengths aside, they complement each other on a basic level. To that point, Doncic is supremely skilled and Antetokounmpo is extraordinarily athletic. In many ways, the duo would be reminiscent of Kyrie Irving and LeBron James.

Speaking of James, Antetokounmpo is just the right player to take the throne whenever his time in Los Angeles expires.

Miami Heat

Similar to the Warriors, the Heat were first mentioned as a landing spot for Antetokounmpo back in 2019. Like Golden State, they had designs on signing him if he became a member of the much anticipated 2021 free agent class. That never materialized but their feelings about the former 15th overall pick presumably haven’t changed. In fact, Miami actually looks like an attractive place for Antetokounmpo, and not just because of the Biscayne Bay sunrise.

For starters, Miami’s infrastructure should appeal to someone with his level of discipline and determination. Heat president Pat Riley and head coach Erik Spoelstra are both tough, no-nonsense leaders whose personality is embedded in the team culture. In addition, Miami has been one of the more successful teams over the past 15 years, with multiple NBA championships (2) and NBA Finals appearances (6).

He and Bam Adebayo might form the most formidable defensive duo in the NBA. If they manage to retain one of their All-Star-caliber wings, they should have enough top-end talent to make it back to the big show.

New York Knicks

The only people surprised that the Knicks landed on this list haven’t been paying attention. Out of everyone, they’re the only team that the Bucks have reportedly had real discussions about trading Antetokounmpo with. The negotiations purportedly began last August and lasted for “a window of time,” according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. However, “the teams never got traction on a deal.”

One could argue that Milwaukee wasn’t really prepared to move Antetokounmpo at the time. All of their words and actions up to that point signaled that trading him was their last option. However, front office executives with poor asset management don’t exactly have job security. With that being said, there may be a day when it’s more prudent for them to let go of Antetokounmpo. They’re well aware that he can leave the franchise as a free agent as early as the 2027 NBA offseason.

If a deal between the Bucks and Knicks goes down, Karl-Anthony Towns may be a part of it. His brief time in New York has been up and down. Playing under defensive-minded head coaches has magnified his inadequacies at that end. Yet, he’s the highest-paid player on the Knicks roster. By far. Like Antetokounmpo, he could also leave his current team high and dry next year.