The Chicago Bulls Might As Well Keep a Close Eye on the Giannis Antetokounmpo Drama

Giannis Antetokounmpo stirred the NBA pot on Tuesday afternoon.

Fans were quick to notice that the Milwaukee Bucks superstar did a social media cleanse. More specifically, Antetokounmpo got rid of countless posts that referenced his time with the Bucks on Instagram, only leaving posts associated with the team winning the NBA championship and the NBA Cup. He also erased countless posts on his X account, making the most recent a birthday message to the late Kobe Bryant from August of 2021.

Giannis has deleted every Instagram post related to the Bucks, keeping only his championship win and the Cup pics up pic.twitter.com/WFt026EJEx
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) December 2, 2025

News of the social media drama also comes in the wake of the Bucks' 129-126 loss to the two-win Washington Wizards. The Bucks now hold a record of 9-13 and have won only two of their last ten games. Antetokounmpo did not play in four of those games – all of which the Bucks lost. If the season ended today, the multi-time MVP winner would miss the playoffs for the first time since the 2015-16 season.

Now, is Giannis Antetokounmpo's social media habits truly something that NBA execs and fans should put serious weight into? Of course not. He isn't the first player to pull this stunt, and he will not be the last. What the move draws attention to, however, is the organization's incredibly underwhelming start to the 2025-26 campaign. And that is the real reason why speculating about Antetokounmpo's future continues to feel justified.

Heck, nobody knew until training camp if the Greek Freak would return to Milwaukee. There was chatter all offseason long that he was open to finding a new home, with an ESPN report even stating that he pinpointed the Knicks as a preferred landing spot. While Antetokounmpo went on to shut down questions regarding that report, he has made very clear over the years how important competing for another championship is to him. The Bucks appear far away from doing exactly that 20 games into the regular season.

The question now is ... how soon might news about social media pettiness turn into news about rival teams calling the Bucks? Superstar trade talk has already been busy around the NBA with Anthony Davis' situation growing increasingly murky. One team that has kept coming up in those rumors has been the Chicago Bulls, thanks to their flexible cap sheet and control of future draft picks. So is it worth pondering whether this franchise could also end up tied to the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes?

No? That's really silly? Why would Antetokounmpo want to play there? Oh. Well, we're going to talk about it anyway!

Could the Chicago Bulls Ever Become a Suitor for Giannis Antetokounmpo?

Look, nobody is arguing that the Chicago Bulls would be considered among the most competitive suitors for Giannis Antetokounmpo. They wouldn't be. The nine-time All-Star has made it very clear that contending for championships every season is what he cares about most. Chicago has made the playoffs once since the 2016-17 season, and they lack the kind of true superstar running mate that a player of Antetokounmpo's caliber typically prefers.

Having said all of that, logistics matter, particularly in this new CBA era. A big reason why the Bulls have been tied to a player like Anthony Davis is simply that they have the obvious means to make a blockbuster trade work. They do not currently have to worry about apron restrictions or luxury tax payments. In fact, they are in line to have only eight players on the payroll next season.

Equally as important, they have added several intriguing young players over the last two seasons and have regained control of all their future first-round picks. In fact, they even have an extra first-round pick at their disposal – a lottery-protected selection from the Portland Trail Blazers.

Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks drives against the Chicago Bulls. — Nov 7, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) drives for the basket against Chicago Bulls guard Kevin Huerter (13) in the 3rd quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

If you were the Bucks' front office, wouldn't acquiring multiple future first-rounders from an organization with as bad a recent track record as the Bulls feel somewhat appealing? And while the Bulls may not have the obvious marquee young player to throw in the deal, guys like Matas Buzelis, Coby White, and Noa Essengue certainly have allure.

Let's also not ignore what has been said in the past. In 2022, Antetokounmpo himself famously (at least, among Bulls fans) praised the Chicago Bulls organization and said anyone who claims that they do not want to play for Chicago would be a "liar." It's also been speculated that he would prefer a major market move if leaving Milwaukee. Howard Beck of The Ringer even said he heard a source name-drop Chicago as a potential destination during an appearance on The Zach Lowe Show last March.

Once again, does any of this mean the Chicago Bulls should be viewed as a favorite to land Antetokounmpo if he ends up on the market? No. But is it possible they are a little higher on the totem pole than some might expect? Is it possible that they could put together a relatively intriguing offer that warrants a meeting for Milwaukee?

If one thing is for sure, Arturas Karnisovas and the front office would be silly not to pick up the phone and at least try to talk things through. While this might go against their recent philosophy of preaching patience, Antetokounmpo is the kind of player you pivot for. And, if all else fails, just let his agent know that neither he nor Antetokounmpo would ever have to pay for an Italian Beef again! That's a major perk! The Bear made those things expensive!