Report: Giannis Antetokounmpo 'Has Played His Last Game' With the Bucks

Shams Charania reported this weekend that “the writing is on the wall” for Giannis and the Bucks. Now, Insider Marc Spears, who is pretty well connected in NBA circles, has dropped a bombshell today, saying that he believes Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is currently out for up to six weeks, is finished in Milwaukee.

“I think he has played his last game in a Milwaukee Bucks uniform.”

- @MarcJSpears on Giannis Antetokounmpo

(h/t @Fullcourtpass ) pic.twitter.com/d8CwOCbY1Y
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) January 26, 2026

Spears made the comment on ESPN's NBA Today panel. When he was asked why he felt that way, he responded:

"There's so much benefit for him not playing. You can make a trade for him now with Atlanta, and get that piece, that generational piece, maybe the No. 1 pick, the No. 2 pick.

"(But) if they play him and they win, that just pushes back their potential pick further. So to me it benefits them to sit him and... Ain't nothing better than a team like that to rebuild with two (top picks).

"The only thing they could (wait to) see is on Lottery Day what these top two picks could be. But I'm doing Atlanta."

The Hawks own the New Orleans Pelicans' first-round pick in this year's draft. And with the Pels sitting in dead last in the Western Conference, with the third-worst record in the NBA, they stand a pretty decent chance of scoring one of — if not THE — top pick in the June Draft.

Milwaukee is currently in 11th in the Eastern Conference at 18-26, but without Giannis for the next six weeks, that will undoubtedly plummet even further. They currently have the 8th-worst record in the league, but that could easily drop.

The Bucks, meanwhile, own the less favorable of their own and New Orleans' pick, with the other going to the Hawks. But if the Bucks can secure them both, they'll have a nice one-two punch, however the lottery might play out.

Antetokounmpo has had one foot in and one foot out the door in Milwaukee for the better part of the past year or longer. As most observers are starting to realize, it might be best for all parties involved for Giannis to finally move on.

Giannis is a pretty loyal guy, but Henry Abbott also reported today that "Giannis was close to firing his longtime agent Alex Saratsis over his failure to get Giannis traded from the Bucks."