Report raises questions about Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future with Bucks

May 13, 2022; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) shoots during warmups prior to game six of the second round for the 2022 NBA playoffs against the Boston Celtics at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

A new report suggests that rival teams believe they might be able to pry Giannis Antetokounmpo away from the Milwaukee Bucks if the team’s issues continue.

Multiple NBA executives told Bill Reiter of CBS Sports that they believe Antetokounmpo could become available if things get sufficiently ugly for the Bucks this season. One executive told Reiter that “teams are circling,” while another believes something could happen “by the trade deadline.”

A third executive told Reiter that two teams have been named as potentially preferred destinations should Antetokounmpo want out.

“The teams I’ve heard are Miami and New York — the Nets, not the Knicks,” the executive said.

It may seem a bit premature to think about essentially blowing up the Bucks just four games into the season. However, the team is off to a 1-3 start, and a stretch of games against the Knicks, Celtics, and Cavaliers looms. To make matters worse, Antetokounmpo already sounds rather down on the team, even though the season is less than a month old.

There are certainly plenty of reasons to believe this might be overblown. Antetokounmpo has demonstrated that he wants to be with Milwaukee, and committed to the team contractually a year ago. He also wants to win, however, and if he thinks he cannot do it with the Bucks, he may look to go somewhere else.

Antetokounmpo certainly has not been the problem in Milwaukee’s 1-3 start, as he is averaging 28.8 points and 11.8 rebounds per game.