Is this a cryptic sign Giannis Antetokounmpo wants out of Milwaukee?

Less than 24 hours after a disastrous loss to the last-placed Washington Wizards, Giannis Antetokounmpo scrapped his social media accounts of most mentions of the Bucks to spark trade speculation.

Watch NBA with ESPN on Kayo Sports | Stream an average 9 LIVE Regular Season games per week plus the best of the NBA Playoffs.| New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.

It continued Milwaukee struggles, marking an eighth loss from its last nine games including the team dropping seven games in a row — its longest losing streak since the 2013/14 season — when Antetokounmpo was out with an adductor strain.

After Tuesday’s loss to Washington (all times AEDT), which saw the Bucks fall to 9-13 overall, Antetokounmpo opted not to speak to a small group of media.

Across his Instagram and X accounts, the 30-year old superstar changes his profile pictures to him in his Green national team uniform and just referenced himself as an “NBA Athlete” on X.

The only Instagram photos of him in a Bucks uniform still up are of the NBA Cup championship in 22024 and the NBA title in 2021.

Antetokounmpo’s last post on X he left up was a happy birthday tribute to the late Kobe Bryant in 2021.

Of course, trade speculation surrounding Antetokounmpo isn’t new.

Last month, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported the Bucks had engaged in trade conversations with the New York Knicks last off-season about a potential deal for Antetokounmpo.

It followed a summer where even if Antetokounmpo didn’t request a trade, Charania reported that the two-time MVP was “open-minded” about the possibility of playing elsewhere.

Fan ejected after clash with Giddey | 00:46

Antetokounmpo made it clear ahead of the season he wants to continue to compete for championships.

“Guys, every summer there’s truth. To every report. The same thing I’ve been saying my whole career – I want to be on a team that allows me, gives me a chance to win a championship and wants to compete at a high level,” he said on media day in late September.

“I think it’s a disservice to basketball, it’s a disservice just to the game to not want to compete at a high level, to not want your season to end in April.

“So, it’s pretty much the same. It’s not the first time. I had the same thoughts last year, I had the same thoughts two years ago, I had the same thoughts five years ago – yeah, 2020 – so it’s never gonna change.”

“I want to be among the best, I want to compete with the best, and I want to win another championship and that’s it.”

Antetokounmpoi is contracted at Milwaukee through the 2027/28 season — when he has a player option — after agreeing to a three-year, $186 million extension in October 2023.

The challenges keep coming for the Bucks when they visit Detroit, who is the No. 1 seed in the East and has the second-best record in the NBA (17-4), on Wednesday.

The Bucks have been on a slide since the 2021 title, with the team waiving the injured Damian Lillard ahead of this season and stretching the remaining $113 million on the All-Star’s deal.

The “stretch provision” allowed Milwaukee to stretch Lillard’s remaining years from two to five — meaning they will pay around $22.5 million in their salary cap every year for him to not play on the team.