Giannis Antetokounmpo remained with the Milwaukee Bucks as the NBA transfer window closed this Thursday, with the club deciding to postpone any trades until after the end of the season.
The 31-year-old Greek wing, two-time NBA MVP and protagonist of Milwaukee’s title in 2021, has been selected for the All-Star Game ten times and has attracted the interest of several teams, with the Bucks having a record of 20-29 this season.
Antetokounmpo, 31, is averaging 28.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game this season, but is currently sidelined with a calf injury.
“Legends don’t chase. They attract,” Antetokounmpo wrote on
Milwaukee will likely be able to get a better deal after the season for Antetokounmpo, who has an option year on his contract after next season.
The club still traded Cole Anthony and Amir Coffey to Phoenix in exchange for Nigel Hayes-Davis and Nick Richards in a three-team trade that brought Jamaican center Richards to Chicago and French wing Ousmane Dieng to the Bucks.
The Minnesota Timberwolves, who were hoping to pair Antetokounmpo with star Anthony Edwards, instead landed guard Ayo Dosunmu from Chicago, according to ESPN, which reports that the T-Wolves traded Rob Dillingham, Leonard Miller and four second-round NBA Draft picks to the Bulls in exchange for Dosunmu and forward Julian Phillips.
The Golden State Warriors filled a need for a big man by trading with Atlanta for Kristaps Porzingis on Wednesday, trading Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Hawks.
Guard Ja Morant, however, remains in Memphis and remains with the NBA franchise that had chosen him as the second overall pick in the 2019 Draft.
However, a big man has moved, but it is the Croatian center Ivica Zubac, sold by the Los Angeles Clippers together with Kobe Brown to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, two picks in the first round and one in the second, as reported by ESPN.
In his tenth NBA season, Zubac comes off a 2024-25 season in which he averaged career highs of 16.8 points, 12.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.
The Pacers thus add a replacement for Myles Turner, lost last July in free agency, who will be able to partner Tyrese Haliburton next season, when the guard returns from his right Achilles tendon injury.
Harden & Davis are the major players in the market
The most important names to change teams moved in the days before the transfer window closed: veteran James Harden moved to Cleveland to form a pairing with Donovan Mitchell, while Dallas sold Anthony Davis to Washington, where he will join guard Trae Young.
Among other Thursday trades reported by ESPN, Boston traded Chris Boucher to Utah and the Los Angeles Lakers shipped Gabe Vincent and a 2032 second-round pick to the Hawks in exchange for guard Luke Kennard, who has a season-best three-point percentage at 49.7%.
New York traded guard Dalen Terry, money and two second-round picks to New Orleans for guard Jose Alvarado, while Denver shipped wing Hunter Tyson and a 2032 second-round pick to Brooklyn for a 2026 second-round pick, and the Nets also acquired wing Josh Minott from Boston.
Philadelphia traded guard Eric Gordon and a swap of 2032 second-round picks to Memphis, while Charlotte shipped guard Tyus Jones to Dallas.
