Recently, Shams Charania reported that Giannis Antetokounmpo is "open" to exploring trade options. This shouldn't come as much of a surprise, after the Milwaukee Bucks' first-round loss; speculation about a possible Giannis trade began. However, not everyone thinks it's a good idea for Giannis to leave Milwaukee. After Shams' report came out, eight-time All-Star Dwight Howard warned Giannis about seeking a trade on Twitter.
Don’t leave Giannis coming from someone who been there
— Dwight Howard (@DwightHoward) May 12, 2025
While most people would consider Giannis seeking a trade to be a no-brainer, Howard clearly thinks otherwise. Does Howard have a point?
Dwight Howard's negative trade experience influences his perspective on a Giannis trade
Howard likely has a tainted view of trade requests. In 2012, Howard demanded a trade from the Orlando Magic, ultimately landing with the Los Angeles Lakers. The Magic's title window was shrinking, and the Lakers appeared to offer him a better chance of winning.
However, a disappointing one year with the Lakers, Howard would play five other teams. With the Magic, Howard made five consecutive All-NBA first teams; however, he would only make two more All-NBA teams (one second and one third) after leaving Orlando. Ultimately, Howard's career somewhat went off the rails after leaving the Magic despite being 26 at the time of the trade. Howard's story shows that the grass isn't always greener on the other side.
Why Giannis' trade situation is different from Howard's
Given Howard's negative experience with demanding a trade, it's understandable he'd have this perspective. However, Giannis' situation is a bit different. Firstly, Giannis is simply a better player than Howard, he's a two-time MVP and unlikely to decline in the same way.
Additionally, Howard was traded to an aging core with Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and Steve Nash, which undoubtedly contributed to why this superteam failed. Conversely, most of the teams with rumored interest in Giannis, especially the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs, are young. This gives Giannis a chance to compete for titles for the rest of his career. The Bucks are an aging team that doesn't control their own draft capital for the next five years. Given this, paired with their lack of recent playoff success and Damian Lillard's injury, the Bucks don't have an avenue to build a contender around Giannis.
If Giannis somehow gets traded to a situation that isn't working out, he has a player option in 2026 and is an unrestricted free agent in 2027. Regardless, most of the rumored Giannis trade destinations are poised for contention and would be a better situation than Milwaukee.