Antetokounmpo is entering the beginning of a three-year contract extension he signed in 2023, worth $175 million. The final year of that deal is a player option, meaning he is signed for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons, and can begin pressuring the Bucks to trade him if he so chooses.

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."

Giannis Antetokounmpo has been named a finalist for the 2024–25 Most Valuable Player award, per the NBA. This marks the seventh-straight season he’s finished within the top four in MVP voting. This recognition is both unsurprising and well-deserved,