Milwaukee Bucks ownership has made a very clear statement of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future with the organization.
Bucks co-owner Wes Edens said a decision will be made on Antetokounmpo’s long-term future this offseason, and that the superstar will either sign a contract extension or be traded.
“Giannis is going into the last year [of his contract]. So one of two things will happen: Either he will be extended or he’ll be traded,” Edens told Ramona Shelburne of ESPN. “The likelihood you’ll let him just kind of play out the last year, we can’t afford that. It’s not consistent with what’s good for the organization. That’s not a Giannis issue. That’s any player that’s in their last year.”
Shelburne noted that there is skepticism around the league that the outcome will be that simple, as other organizations are sometimes left unsure whether Edens and co-owner Jimmy Haslam is making the final decisions.
Antetokounmpo becomes eligible to sign a four-year, $275 million extension on Oct. 1. That leaves it pretty late for both the player and the team to make such a huge decision, though the Bucks will presumably know where he stands before then.
Things between Antetokounmpo and the Bucks are not perfect, with the two sides at odds over whether he should even play again this season. Antetokounmpo also expects the Bucks to be championship contenders, which they are not right now. His decision might end up depending on how the Bucks approach their offseason.
