Predicting NBA's Next Star Trade Requests: Giannis Antetokounmpo Ditching the Bucks?

For the 14 teams who failed to secure a playoff spot, the 2025 NBA offseason has already started. It will arrive shortly for the first-round casualties, too.

In other words, it's almost time for basketball's annual roster-reshuffling. This summer could see several notable names seeking scenery changes.

Some superstars will get frustrated by the disconnect between their championship expectations and their roster's lack of win-now support. Others will decide to ditch the dizzying hamster wheel that is a perpetual rebuilding process.

We'll delve into the specifics more as we go along, but don't be shocked—or even surprised—if you hear rumblings about the following five players wanting out sooner than later.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks

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Not to kick things off with a caveat, but should it be notable that Giannis Antetokounmpo has said a trade request isn't happening? Maybe, yet it feels less significant than the ominous combination of the Bucks' underwhelming present and downright frightening future.

They've notched only one playoff series victory since winning it all in 2021, and they're in serious jeopardy of suffering their third consecutive first-round defeat. Antetokounmpo is heavy-lifting like a World's Strongest Man competitor as per usual, but he lacks the support for his herculean efforts to actually matter.

What could possibly convince him that will change in Milwaukee moving forward? Damian Lillard isn't getting any younger. Brook Lopez is playing out his twilight years and is set to become a free agent this summer. The trade-deadline deal for Kyle Kuzma already appears disastrous. Even worse, the Bucks don't have the picks or prospects needed to trade for an impact player or the cap space to find one in free agency.

Is this really how Antetokounmpo, a two-time MVP and a Finals MVP, really wants to play out his prime? This is a lottery-level roster without him and a non-contender with him. He can't be content with this setup, can he?

Perhaps he proves loyal to a fault and stays singularly focused on the only NBA franchise he's ever known. Or maybe Milwaukee has some secret formula for finding its way out of this mess. From the outside looking in, though, the grass sure seems greener elsewhere.

And if Antetokounmpo decides he's done in Milwaukee, Lillard would surely follow suit.

LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets

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LaMelo Ball isn't publicly pushing for a ticket out of Buzz City. In fact, he's doing the opposite. Yet there's a reason why folks are wondering aloud whether he or the Hornets should consider a split this offseason.

There might be 179 reasons, actually, as in the number of losses Charlotte has suffered over the past three seasons. If that sounds like an enormous amount, that's because it is. No other franchise has lost at this level during that stretch.

Ball might have a serviceable co-star in swingman Brandon Miller, but what else is there to get excited about? Potential building-block big man Mark Williams was sent packing at the deadline, only to return to Charlotte upon a failed physical. Last summer's sixth overall pick, Tidjane Salaün, was a 4th-percentile performer as a rookie, per Dunks & Threes' estimated plus/minus. Scoring forward Miles Bridges just posted some of the worst shooting rates of his career.

If Charlotte's core is simply Ball-plus-Miller, it wouldn't be remotely challenging to sniff out a better situation elsewhere. And that's just the basketball side of things. While Ball's brand isn't exactly hurting, he could still see a big boost on the business front by landing in a major market and with a team that won more than 30 percent of the time.

At the very least, there is plenty for Ball to ponder regarding his future with or without his current club.

Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns

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Seeing Kevin Durant's name here should come as a surprise to literally no one. With that being said, even low-hanging fruit must be plucked.

Durant's name has swirled through the rumor mill for a while now, much to his initial surprise. When Phoenix cut ties with former coach Mike Budenolzer upon completion of its colossally disappointing (and wildly expensive) campaign, ESPN's Shams Charania relayed that the club "is expected to engage in trade discussions involving Durant."

The 15-time All-Star might prefer to initiate those talks on his own. Because even if you set aside the distrust created by those trade talks, there are basketball reasons for Durant to want out.

The Suns have poured asset after asset into embarking on a championship run, yet they are galaxies removed from the title chase. They were 21st in winning percentage and 23rd in net efficiency this season. For anyone tempted to pin those struggles on injury issues, they lost the 667 minutes that Durant played with Devin Booker and Bradley Beal by 4.1 points per 100 possessions.

This roster is broken, and given their draft debts, cap constraints and collective age, there isn't an obvious fix beyond tearing it down and starting over. Durant, who turns 37 in September, should be scrambling toward a better situation as fast as he can.

Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies

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Ja Morant has given no indication that he's considering a trade request. He seems perfectly content in Memphis. He even has the Grizzlies logo tattooed on his back.

However, the vibes on Beale Street are less than ideal. Their late-season spiral pushed them from the second seed in the West to the play-in tournament. While they eventually found their way out of the play-in, they only delayed their demise long enough to get clobbered by the Oklahoma City Thunder.

This kind of collapse can be catastrophic. Just ask Taylor Jenkins, Memphis' former head coach who was fired with only nine games left on the schedule. Everything feels up in the air around this team, including Morant's future.

It might behoove Morant to get proactive about his plans. Sort of a "You can't break up with me because I'm breaking up with you" kind of strategy. Plus, it's not like Memphis has been some juggernaut during his six-year tenure. Not when it matters, at least. The Grizzlies have won a single playoff series during this stretch.

This team has talent, but not an overwhelming amount (at least by Western Conference standards). For all of those questioning whether Morant can be the best player on a championship team, are we sure Desmond Bane or Jaren Jackson Jr. could be a banner-raiser's No. 2?

It's certainly not impossible to think Morant might wonder whether he could find a better situation—or at least a more comfortable offense—and superior vibes over the summer.

Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings

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The Kings are a mess. Or maybe they're just the Kangz again.

Firing Mike Brown less than two full seasons after he earned Coach of the Year honors while snapping their 16-season playoff drought was a choice. Dealing De'Aaron Fox and not bringing back a replacement point guard was...interesting? Deciding that the DeMar DeRozan-Zach LaVine combo might work in the West after watching it flop in the East was truly baffling.

How does Domantas Sabonis feel about all of the above? Well, while the three-time All-Star recently told reporters, "I love it here" and "want to stay here," he added that "I also do want to know what's going to happen."

Based on this team's track record, it's probably nothing good. What would moving forward with the Sabonis-DeRozan-LaVine trio realistically accomplish? Would Sabonis want to stick around for any sort of roster reset? Standing pat seems rather hopeless, but stepping back can't sound appealing to a soon-to-be 29-year-old.

While Sabonis is supremely skilled, he needs a roster that's specifically tailored to maximize his strengths and minimize his weaknesses. It's hard to imagine he thinks he has that now, and it's perhaps harder to picture him trusting this organization to provide it.

If he's waiting on the Kings to show him the path toward high-level competitiveness, it might be a matter of time before he realizes there are other, more reliable routes elsewhere.