Giannis Trade Looms: Bucks' Window Closing

Merlin sees the Giannis era at a crossroads. Fans noticed the superstar pulling away on social media, and ESPN’s Brian Windhorst suggested “he asked to be traded already.” The Bucks are 9-13, haven’t won a playoff series since 2022, and years of aggressive trades and coach changes haven’t fixed the roster — so the question of movement before Feb. 5 or in the summer matters more than ever. Merlin remembers Damian Lillard’s slow unraveling in Portland and smells a similar pattern: spectacular peak, then diminishing returns as trade capital disappears. Giannis still carries Milwaukee (minus-11.0 net rating off the floor), but with a $22.4M stretch hit and few easy upgrades, time is short. The franchise must choose urgency over patience — or face a parting of ways.