NBA Notes: Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Cavs, De’Andre Hunter, Pistons

Bucks

Trade chatter surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo has picked up again, but several rival executives around the league believe any real resolution may wait until the offseason, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic.

Amick notes that while the situation could change if Antetokounmpo were to make an explicit trade request ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline, teams would be far better positioned to pull off a true blockbuster in the summer.

That’s when cap flexibility improves, rosters reset, and draft assets become clearer.

For now, the Bucks’ locker room appears dismissive of the noise. Guard Kevin Porter Jr. called the reports “false information,” per Eric Nehm of The Athletic.

“At the end of the day, everyone needs to wait until Giannis says something,” Porter said. “Because all this is just he say, she say.”

Cavaliers

The Cavaliers had five days off following their loss to Golden State last weekend, but the break came with some edge.

According to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, the team held what was described as an “uncomfortable” film session Tuesday, with head coach Kenny Atkinson delivering pointed criticism.

“He just called us out,” forward De’Andre Hunter said. “He broke down exactly what we needed to do, exactly what we haven’t been good at.”

Cleveland sits at 14-11 and appears intent on addressing habits before the season drifts further.

Pistons

In a mailbag for Pistons.com, Keith Langlois examined whether Marcus Sasser has a path back into the rotation, evaluated Jaden Ivey’s evolving role, and pushed back on the notion that Detroit would seriously pursue Anthony Davis.

Meanwhile, Esfandiar Baraheni of The Athletic broke down film showing how Jalen Duren has emerged as Detroit’s second star ahead of his restricted free agency in 2026.