Giannis Antetokounmpo may still be a Milwaukee Bucks player, but the two-time MVP has been among the biggest trade rumors that could flip the NBA.
The Greek superstar has openly voiced frustration with the franchise’s direction while repeatedly stressing his love for the city, its fans, and the organization that drafted him. Reports have even suggested Giannis does not necessarily want to leave Milwaukee: He wants to leave the Bucks.
However, NFL legend Chad Johnson isn’t buying the balancing act.
Chad Johnson Says Giannis Antetokounmpo Can’t Avoid Being the Villain If He Leaves the Bucks
Speaking on “Nightcap” with Shannon Sharpe, the six-time Pro Bowler with the Cincinnati Bengals, argued that Antetokounmpo’s recent comments are less about loyalty and more about pleasing people, simply preparing fans for an eventual departure while trying to avoid being perceived as the villain.
“This all he doing is softening the blow,” Johnson said. “He’s just softening the blow to make sure that when it does happen, which will probably be maybe in 48 or 72 hours, he’s not the bad guy. That’s why he’s putting this out.”
Johnson believes Giannis is trying to make it clear that any potential exit would stem from frustration with the franchise, not the city. Recent reports have claimed Antetokounmpo still values Milwaukee deeply but is frustrated with the Bucks’ lack of ambition to win another championship.
Since winning the NBA championship in 2021, Milwaukee hasn’t gotten beyond the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Bucks suffered first-round playoff exits in 2023, 2024, and 2025 before bottoming out in 2026, missing the postseason altogether for the first time in the 2020s.
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While Johnson understands why Antetokounmpo may be trying to control the narrative, he believes the effort is ultimately pointless.
“Now, I’m not sure why he doesn’t want to accept being the villain,” Johnson said. “It’s okay to be the villain because once you leave, they going to turn on you. No matter what you do, no matter what you do.”
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It’s a tough dilemma for Antetokounmpo, who has built much of his legacy around loyalty to Milwaukee, signing multiple extensions and helping the Bucks deliver their first championship in 50 years. Unlike many superstars in the NBA, he has never publicly demanded a trade or attempted to force his way out.
To be fair to the Greek superstar, he’s been as loyal and consistent as he could be about Milwaukee. “I want to be a part of a winning team,” Antetokounmpo told ESPN in a 2019 interview. “As long as we have the same mindset and same approach to the game, there’s no reason for me to move and not be like Steph [Curry], not like be like Dirk [Nowitzki] or Kobe [Bryant] or Tim Duncan.”
Antetokounmpo has nevertheless been linked to trade rumors, with him reportedly being discussed with teams such as the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat in recent weeks. Fair or not, Johnson has got a point.
If the two-time MVP ultimately decides his best chance of winning another championship lies elsewhere, loyal Bucks fans aren’t going to spend time dissecting his intentions with logic. Again, fair or not, the moment Antetokounmpo walks away, much of the goodwill he spent more than a decade building could gradually disappear.