Giannis Antetokounmpo, the two-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), is amid trade talks. Antetokounmpo signed a three-year extension in October 2023. Giannis is locked into a lucrative contract that runs through the 2027-28 season, with that final year serving as a player option.
Here is the contract that made him their highest-paid player and one of the richest in the league.
Salary and contract details
According to Basketball Reference, his pay for the 2025-26 season is around $54-57 million, making him one of the top earners in the NBA. Future years remain financially massive: approximately $62.2 million in 2026-27 and about $66.8 million in 2027-28, should he opt in.
Across the next three seasons, he is slated to earn roughly $175-186 million under the present extension.
Giannis’s salary represents a significant portion of the Bucks’ payroll for the 2025-26 campaign. He accounts for more than 35% of their projected salary cap share, highlighting his value and the financial commitment the franchise has made to him.
The stakes of any trade discussion are increased by the size of Giannis’s contract. Only a few teams can actually afford his pay without making significant roster changes or salary-cap maneuvers because of the huge cap hit. Even for the Bucks, his contract severely restricts cap flexibility.
The most attractive element of his contract is the 2027-28 season player option. Giannis could be in full control of his decisions if he declines the player option and becomes an unrestricted free agent.
Moreover, the Bucks guaranteed Giannis the full $228.2 million over five years plus the 15% trade kicker (if traded). The full $175,369,471 over three years is guaranteed in the contract that was signed during the 2024 off-season.
Giannis’s on-court excellence remains unchanged
Giannis remains one of the NBA’s most dominant forces. The “Greek Freak” continues to average MVP-calibre statistics, regularly posting strong numbers in points, rebounds, and assists.
Despite Giannis scoring 30 points, grabbing 15 rebounds, and dishing out 8 assists in 28 minutes, Milwaukee just went on a seven-game losing run, their worst since Giannis’s rookie year, and were eliminated from the NBA Cup following a 118-109 loss to the New York Knicks.