Giannis Antetokounmpo helped the Milwaukee Bucks win the NBA Finals in 2021. Times have been fairly tough ever since.
While the Bucks have reached the playoffs in each of the past four years, they’ve had three different head coaches and have been bounced from the postseason in the first round for three consecutive years. Keep in mind, the past two have come after trading for seven-time All-NBA point guard Damian Lillard.
Now, Lillard has suffered a torn left Achilles tendon, which means the Bucks’ competitive odds aren’t improving significantly any time soon. That could complicate the 30-year-old Antetokounmpo’s future in Milwaukee.
According to ESPN’s top NBA insider Shams Charania, for the first time in his storied career, Antetokounmpo is seriously considering whether he still wants to play for the Bucks or get traded to another team this offseason.
“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.”
Shams Charania on Giannis Antetokounmpo
With the NBA combine set to take place in Chicago later this week, Antetokounmpo trade rumors are expected to heat up. For now, Antetokounmpo and his representatives have a plan in place to have a meeting with Bucks officials later this offseason, where they’ll discuss their future together.
Antetokounmpo, who remains a top-10 player in the NBA today, remains motivated to win another championship, so any potential trade would certainly place him with another contending team.
But for now, the nine-time All-Star is under contract in Milwaukee through the 2026-27 season. He also has a $62.8 million player option for 2027-28.
In other words, any team trading for Antetokounmpo can feel confident that he’ll be there for at least two seasons, if not longer.
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