Giannis Antetokounmpo has been loyal to the Milwaukee Bucks for a dozen years. He’s used his contract leverage to pressure the franchise to make upgrades, but he always extended his contract with the team where he won a title and two MVP awards.
That may be changing, something ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Get Up. He added that the Bucks front office and Antetokounmpo’s agents will sit down soon and discuss his future.
“The two-time NBA MVP has not made any firm decisions on his Bucks future after the franchise’s third consecutive postseason exit in the first round, but for the first time in his career, Antetokounmpo is open-minded about exploring whether his best long-term fit is remaining in Milwaukee or playing elsewhere, league sources told ESPN... But any conversations surrounding the perennial All-NBA superstar and 2021 NBA champion start primarily with where he believes his long-term future lies, and whether there is a franchise outside of Milwaukee that is sensible for him.
The reality is things feel different this time in Milwaukee than previous times Antetokounmpo hinted he might leave. The Bucks were the No. 5 seed, got bounced in the first round (for the third straight year), will be without Damian Lillard for most or all of next season (torn Achilles), and they don’t have the picks or young players needed to make a blockbuster trade to put this team in contention.
The possibility of the trade will have GMs at the NBA Draft Combine this week in Chicago cornering Bucks’ decision maker Jon Horst, trying to get a read on the situation and if their team could be a fit.
Monday night’s NBA Draft Lottery could have a massive impact on the potential offers the Bucks might receive. That’s not if a team wins the lottery, nobody is trading Cooper Flagg. However, if a team known to be interested in Antetokounmpo, such as Brooklyn or Houston, jumped up to get the No. 2 or No. 3 pick in this draft, that can help make their trade offer much more enticing to Milwaukee.
Is that what Antetokounmpo wants? Howard Beck of the Ringer reported that Antetokounmpo’s team is intrigued by the glamour franchises — the two in Los Angeles, the two in New York, Miami — as landing spots more than Houston or San Antonio. However, those two Texas teams (as well as Miami) can offer no state taxes, something the money-conscious Antetokounmpo could also be drawn to. Also, ultimately, if he wants to win a ring, those Texas teams may be better fits.
None of this means Antetokounmpo is for sure leaving Milwaukee. While plenty of voices outside Milwaukee think moving on is best for the Bucks and their superstar, the franchise isn’t going to be eager to trade away a fan favorite who has been there a dozen years, the guy who brought the team a title, the guy who drives ticket sales and sponsorships and much more of the business. Milwaukee isn’t just going to trade Antetokounmpo, he is going to have to ask for it.
However, for the first time, Antetokounmpo and the Bucks sound like they are going to take a serious look at the possibility.
