There has been a lot of talk about Giannis Antetokounmpo potentially leaving the Milwaukee Bucks this offseason, and apparently the two-time NBA MVP has not yet decided whether he would be opposed to that.
Antetokounmpo has not made any firm decisions about his future with the Bucks, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Monday. While Giannis has said in the past that there is no other team he would rather play for, Charania was told that the nine-time All-Star is, for the first time in his career, “open-minded about exploring whether his best long-term fit is remaining in Milwaukee or playing elsewhere.”
The Bucks are planning to sit down with Antetokounmpo’s representatives in the coming weeks, but the rest of the NBA is closely monitoring the situation.
Giannis signed a supermax extension with the Bucks in 2023. He is under contract through the 2026-27 season and has a $62.8 million player option for 2027-28.
Antetokounmpo had another outstanding regular season this year with 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game. He was even better in the playoffs with 33.0 points, 15.4 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game, but it was not enough for Milwaukee to win a series. The Bucks lost to the Indiana Pacers in five games in the opening round.
Damian Lillard suffered a torn Achilles in the playoffs after returning from a blood-clot issue, which has created even more questions for the Bucks as they enter the offseason.
One of Antetokounmpo’s teammates recently expressed confidence that Giannis will remain in Milwaukee, and Giannis chimed in with a four-word response.
The Bucks won an NBA championship in 2021, but they have only advanced past the first round of the playoffs once since then. Charania notes that the Bucks do not not have many tradable contracts and do not own a first-round pick until 2031, which could create challenges as they try to improve their roster.
If Giannis does express interest in being traded, there are already a few teams that have been mentioned as potential suitors for the 30-year-old.
