Following perhaps too much overhyped speculation during this year’s NBA trade news cycle, Giannis Antetokounmpo will stay in Milwaukee after all.
The Bucks star stayed pat on Thursday’s NBA trade deadline amid widespread buzz that he was headed to the Heat, Warriors, Timberwolves or Raptors, among other rumored suitors. Part of the reason Antetokounmpo dominated the national headlines this winter was because ESPN insider Shams Charania initially reported in late January that the two-time MVP was “ready for a new home” and that the Bucks were starting to listen to “aggressive offers.” Antetokounmpo never submitted a formal trade request, but his recent calf injury had some thinking Milwaukee was more willing to strike a blockbuster deal and take the franchise in a different direction.
Now that Charania’s report has essentially been proven wrong, the Bucks wasted no time dunking on the ESPN insider.
Shortly after the trade deadline passed, the Bucks’ social media team shared a hilarious tweet in which they roasted Shams for sparking speculation over Antetokounmpo’s future in the first place.
“Just In: Conversations have started about @ShamsCharania’s future, and discussing whether the ESPN Senior NBA Insider’s best fit is staying on Giannis’ All-Star Celebrity team or elsewhere,” the tweet’s caption read.
In the accompanying video, Bucks coach Doc Rivers addressed reporters at a press conference and said, “[Giannis] did inform me that’s he’s going to put Shams on the trading block today. And he’s just going to listen to offers.”
Just In: Conversations have started about @ShamsCharania’s future, and discussing whether the ESPN Senior NBA Insider’s best fit is staying on Giannis’ All-Star Celebrity team or elsewhere. pic.twitter.com/IS6XMlQSPf
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) February 5, 2026
Too good.
Rivers was humorously referring to the NBA’s All-Star celebrity game taking place on Friday, Feb. 13, which Antetokounmpo and Charania will both be participating in. Antetokounmpo and his two brothers will serve as the coaches of one team that includes Shams, along with a few other big names like Jeremy Lin, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Keegan-Michael Key.
Antetokounmpo has been with the Bucks since 2013 when he was drafted by the franchise, and after years of will-they-or-won’t-they it looks like Milwaukee will not, in fact, be shopping their biggest superstar—until the offseason, at least.
Antetokounmpo is under contract with the team next season and will be eligible to sign a four-year, $275 million supermax extension this October. If he doesn’t sign an extension, he could decline his $62.8 million player option for 2027–28 and become an unrestricted free agent in the near future.
For now, though, it appears the Greek Freak is more than content to stay at the only home he’s ever known in the NBA. And the Bucks are equally happy to have him here.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Bucks Roast Shams Charania With Perfect ‘Insider’ Tweet After Giannis Stays Put .
