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Antetokounmpo almost fired agent who couldn't get him traded, according to insider

An unexpected chapter in the Giannis-Bucks story.
Alex Toledo|
Jan 23, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) walks from the court following the game against the Denver Nuggets at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
Jan 23, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) walks from the court following the game against the Denver Nuggets at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

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Milwaukee Bucks' superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has not strayed much from saying the right things throughout the 2025-2026 season, despite an occasionally questionable undertone when speaking to media after games. However, according to longtime NBA reporter Henry Abbott of TrueHoop, there may be more going on behind the scenes.

"Giannis is generally seen as a good guy, a thoughtful guy, one of the truly nice and kind people in the NBA sphere. He has had one team and one agent since he was drafted as a teenager in 2013," Abbott began. "So it was alarming to hear a story of real drama, that Giannis was close to firing his longtime agent Alex Saratsis over his failure to get Giannis traded from the Bucks."

Ever since the Bucks won the 2021 NBA championship, their second overall and first in 50 years, the Bucks lost in the second round the season after, followed by three consecutive first round eliminations.

This season, the Bucks are exactly .500 (14-14) with Antetokounmpo on the floor. In the games he's missed, their record is 3-11. Their 18-26 record currently has them standing at 11th in the Eastern Conference, three games behind the 10th-seeded Atlanta Hawks.

"And in this case, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports not only has a tendency to talk about Giannis, but also–multiple sources agree–has been talking to Giannis’s brother Thanasis as of late," Abbott said. "Rich, it seems clear, would like to represent Giannis, and (despite what’s happening with Anthony Davis in Dallas) is said to have been making the case that he’s the guy who can get a star player where he wants to go."

"Two excellent NBA sources suggest that this kind of agent subterfuge is a constant undertone of NBA life, and it’s not worth worrying about. Two others believe there’s a very real chance that Giannis will soon have a new agent," Abbott stated. "Of note: the rules for swapping agents changed last year. If a player sends an agent a termination letter, they used to have a 15-day waiting period before a new agent could take over. But now that is only seven days, meaning that it’s still possible, under the rules, that Giannis could have a new agent by the February 5 trade deadline."

In 30 games this season, the two-time MVP is averaging 28 points, 10 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.7 blocks in 29 minutes per game, converting on 64.7 percent of his field goals and 39.5 percent of his threes.

MORE MILWAUKEE BUCKS STORIES

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Alexander Toledo is a contributor to Milwaukee Bucks On SI and producer/co-host of the Five on the Floor podcast, covering the Miami Heat and NBA. He can be reached at Twitter: @tropicalblanket

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Alex Toledo
ALEX TOLEDO

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