Is this the end for Giannis? Insider claims conversations with Bucks have intensified

The 18-25 Milwaukee Bucks continue to be stuck between a rock and a hard place with Giannis Antetokounmpo. They have spent the 2025-2026 season trying to figure out ways to keep him satisfied, with many reports that they're looking to be aggressive 'buyers' on the trade market.

As they continue to struggle to achieve any sort of consistency on the floor, it seems the Bucks' time with their franchise player could be running out soon, according to ESPN's Shams Charania on the Pat McAfee Show.

"Giannis and the Bucks, they've been having ongoing conversations about his future, even going back to May. Those conversations have just, every single passing week, every passing month, since May when I first reported that he is exploring his best fits outside of Milwaukee for really the first time and really getting down to which team he would want to go to, where he would want to be," Charania began. "Those conversations have only grown with every passing week and month since May, and recently, the Bucks and Giannis conversations have intensified in nature."

Shams Charania: "The tension within the Milwaukee Bucks organization and the locker room is at an “all-time high.” Giannis Antetokounmpo is frustrated with the losing and the overall situation." pic.twitter.com/4Lc6Q9wBzX
— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) January 23, 2026

A large chunk of the NBA is waiting to see what happens with the 2021 Finals MVP and his potential availability on the trade market, largely considered to be a top five (at worst) player in the league. With Giannis in the mix this season, the Bucks are 15-14. In the games he hasn't played, they've won just three of 14 games.

"The frustration that Giannis Antetokounmpo has is at an all time high. He's frustrated with the losing, he's frustrated with the situation, and I will say this, I've spoken to about a dozen sources on and off for weeks now, and the tension that's in the air within that organization, in that locker room, it's at an all-time high," Charania added. "There's a somewhat of a splintering environment that we're seeing going on there, because when when a player of Giannis' caliber maybe has a wandering eye or maybe doesn't know what his future holds there and is having these intense conversations with the organization about what that looks like, there's going to be such high levels and degrees of uncertainty within that organization."

“I've spoken to about a dozen sources on & off for weeks, & the tension that's in the air within that organization, within that locker room, it's at an all time high. I've been hearing over & over for months that the writing’s on the wall for Giannis & the Bucks.” @ShamsCharania https://t.co/Uhg03U2FAN pic.twitter.com/DhPhtBMXCC
— Dru (@dru_star) January 23, 2026

"All of this is is, you know, to me, it's it's been going on all year, but I just think back to the summer. Late July, Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks' general manager Jon Horst are meeting face to face, and Jon Horst, the Bucks and Doc Rivers and ownership, they're selling Giannis Antetokounmpo and competing for a championship. Like 'We have a title contending roster', and Giannis makes it very clear that he has concerns. He has issues with the roster, that he maybe doesn't believe that this is a truly contending team," Charania concluded. "And so everything about Giannis' brand has been loyalty. He spent thirteen years in Milwaukee. It's clear he loves the city. He loves the organization, but what I've been hearing over and over for months now is that the writing is on the wall for Giannis and the Bucks. It's just how do they get there? When do they get there? And really, when is either side ready to step up to the plate and have that level of understanding? Or will it continue to live in this nebulous state where you know, will they or won't they? Will he or won't he? And that has a direct impact on the team and how the performance is."

In 29 games this season, the two-time MVP is averaging 28.2 points, 9.9 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.8 blocks in 29 minutes per game, converting on 64.7 percent of his field goals and 39.5 percent of his threes.

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

Is this the end for Giannis? Insider claims conversations with Bucks have intensified

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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