Khris Middleton speaks out on uncertainty over Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future
Jul 11, 2021; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton looks on during warmups prior to game three of the 2021 NBA Finals against the Phoenix Suns at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Khris Middleton has something to say about all of the recent #GiannisOut rumors.
In an interview this week with ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, the Milwaukee Bucks star Middleton spoke on the buzz over teammate Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future. Middleton indicated that he was not worried about Antetokounmpo leaving, despite some recent comments that The Greek Freak made.
“I think it’s kind of business as usual either way,” said Middleton of the Antetokounmpo uncertainty. “It doesn’t affect me personally. I don’t think it affects us as a team. I think this is something he said almost every year he’s come up in contract extension talks.
“We always want him back for sure,” Middleton added. “Let’s be for sure and let everyone know that. We want this guy to come back because he’s one of the best players in the world, one of the best players in franchise history. So when he says things like that, I think he just wants to challenge the team, the organization, to keep putting us in position to win championships.”
You can read Middleton’s full interview with Bontemps here.
The two-time NBA MVP Antetokounmpo is the direct source of all the uncertainty. He himself said in an interview last month that he won’t extend his contract with the Bucks if he does not feel that the team is still devoted to a championship pursuit. At it stands right now, Antetokounmpo can become a free agent in 2025 at the age of 30.
For Middleton, Antetokounmpo’s Bucks teammate for the last ten seasons, he did his part by agreeing to a new long-term contract with Milwaukee this summer. But Antetokounmpo’s choice may ultimately be out of Middleton’s control. Instead, there are some indications that it could actually hinge on a different player.
