Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks appear headed for a breakup. On top of everything else that’s transpired this season, Antetokounmpo’s feud with the team over his return to play following a calf injury appears to be the nail in the coffin for the partnership.
But to gloss over everything that came before Antetokounmpo’s calf injury would be foolish, because the entire season has been a mess for both sides, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, who outlined everything that has gone wrong for the Bucks during the 2025-26 NBA season.
The piece paints an ugly picture, one that features veteran Bobby Portis telling teammates, “This is why we suck,” another source describing the year as “like a funeral” and Antetokounmpo and his representation telling the Bucks it was time to part ways at least twice.
That last revelation shouldn’t necessarily come as a surprise, as it was well-known the Bucks were shopping Antetokounmpo last offseason and at the trade deadline. But what is surprising is that Antetokounmpo and his agent reportedly approached the team at least two times about moving on, something Antetokounmpo said he would never do.
But apparently that edict changed, as Charania reported Antetokounmpo and his agent contacted the Bucks a few weeks into the season and a few weeks prior to the trade deadline with the same message: It was time to part ways.
Antetokounmpo, however, declined to go public with the request, believing the situation could be resolved “professionally” behind the scenes, per ESPN.
“Giannis has wanted to handle this professionally by being very up front with the team,” one source with direct knowledge of the situation said. “This could have been a happy resolution but instead might end up being a nasty breakup.”
A trade never happened. While multiple teams reportedly reached out to the Bucks about a trade for Antetokounmpo, a few believed the Bucks had no desire to make a move due to delayed responses to trade offers. Other teams believed the Bucks wanted too much in a deal, reportedly asking the Cleveland Cavaliers for Evan Mobley and the Philadelphia 76ers for VJ Edgecomb, in addition to other players.
The Bucks reportedly considered an offer from the Miami Heat, which allegedly included Tyer Herro, Kel’el Ware and other players and draft picks, per Charania, but the Bucks eventually declined to make the deal.
With Antetokounmpo at odds with the team, other aspects of the organization also fell apart. Head coach Doc Rivers reportedly tried to rally the team at a key point in the season, only to have his message rub players the wrong way and lead to a brief benching for Kyle Kuzma. That was just one example of “the theme of a season-long disconnect between Rivers and the players,” sources told Charania.
Changes are undoubtedly coming to the Bucks in the offseason. Following his feud with the team over his return to play, Antetokounmpo finally appears to be truly on his way out. Bucks officials are also expected to make a decision on Rivers, who could find himself out of the organization or in a different role next season.
All of this has been known — or at least assumed — for quite some time now. But by failing to take action on multiple fronts, the Bucks appear to have made the whole thing worse during a season the franchise would almost certainly like to erase from its memory the instant its over.
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