Until Giannis Antetokounmpo clearly, definitively says, “I will be a Milwaukee Buck next season,” the speculation about his future will not stop. The Knicks’ decision to extend Mikal Bridges — making him unavailable for trade for six months, something they would not have done if they believed Antetokounmpo would be available this summer — has not slowed the rumors. Even if the Greek Freak came out today and said he was staying put on social media, the rumors would not stop.
That speculation continued on Monday when Shams Charania appeared on ESPN’s Get Up.
“Sources tell me there’s still nothing set in stone about whether Giannis Antetokounmpo will stay in Milwaukee or whether he will be leaving. And so, he’s going to continue to evaluate his future…There’s been some very real conversations over the past week or so. The constant question that Giannis has though is, ‘Can I win a championship with this roster? Is this roster going to be one for this upcoming year and 2026-2027?’ He wants to win a second championship… “This is a very tough decision for him. This is 12 years he’s spent there. There’s a lot of equity there.”
Antetokounmpo’s only public comments on the situation had him suggesting he is likely to stay: “Probably. Probably, we’ll see. Probably, I love Milwaukee.”
Those comments came after the Bucks made a bold move to show Antetokounmpo how committed they are to winning, stretching-and-waiving the injured Damian Lillard to get an upgrade at center in Myles Turner.
While the Bucks still seem one player away (unless Khris Middleton can regain his All-Star/Olympian form), Antetokounmpo has to ask himself if the other teams he might jump to really get him closer to a ring? If he moves to a team in the West such as Golden State or San Antonio (teams rumored to have interest), he will have to run a gauntlet of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the defending champion Thunder (bringing everyone back from a 68-win team), Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets, Kevin Durant and the Rockets, Anthony Edwards and the Mavericks, LeBron James and Luka Doncic with the Lakers, and the list goes on and on. Jumping to a team in the East creates its own problems. Go to New York and the cost of adding Antetokounmpo would gut the roster of the depth that makes them a contender (again, Mikal Bridges is off the table until at least the trade deadline, plus the Knicks don’t have nearly enough remaining draft picks to entice Milwaukee). A trade to Miami would create the same depth issue, plus the Heat also do not have enough draft picks. Cleveland is over the second apron and doesn’t have the needed massive salary to make an Antetokounmpo trade.
The list goes on and on. Whatever Antetokounmpo thinks of the Bucks roster and chances, it may be the best of his options, and it remains a place where he has strong ties to the community, where his family is established and happy. There are good reasons for Antetokounmpo to say he “probably” will be back in Milwaukee.
But until he takes the qualifying “probably” out of his statement, the speculation will continue.
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