Giannis Antetokounmpo has yet to make a decision about his long-term future with the Milwaukee Bucks, and the rest of the league is waiting with bated breath. With EuroBasket progressing quickly and Giannis set to return from Europe soon, the Bucks are hoping for some clarity as they try to convince their franchise cornerstone that he still belongs in Milwaukee.
“[Giannis’] future remains a major unknown this offseason and entering the 2025-26 NBA season,” wrote Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. “All other 29 teams around the league continue to watch this situation brewing in Milwaukee, as further clarity on Giannis’ situation will present itself once he returns from Greece and the EuroBasket tournament overseas.”
Giannis has been putting on a show at EuroBasket 2025. In his exhibition debut against Latvia today, he dropped 25 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, and two blocks on 75% shooting in just 15 minutes. He’s looking like a potential MVP candidate next season, and the Bucks are doing everything they can to maintain his trust.
“This offseason, the Bucks have been doing everything possible to try and not only improve their roster from a season ago but also prove to their superstar that they will be aggressive when it comes to making moves to better the franchise’s chances of winning another title,” wrote Siegel.
The Bucks’ first order of business was waiving Damian Lillard, who was coming off a torn Achilles tendon. While Giannis was bitter about the move at first, he has since come around to the idea thanks to the acquisition of Myles Turner, whom they were able to afford by stretching Lillard’s contract.
Now, the Bucks are going into the 2025-26 season with renewed hope of making a title run. Their chances depend entirely on Giannis, however, and his future is anything but certain.
After years of disappointing seasons, Antetokounmpo is eager to return to championship contention, and there are rumors that he’s considering a change of scenery. With many teams in pursuit, a Giannis sweepstakes would be insane for the NBA, and it would be devastating for the Bucks, who would have no way to replace Giannis’s superstar impact.
While their moves were somewhat limited this summer, the Bucks are hoping that they’ve done enough to convince their star to stay, but there’s no way to know for sure until he gets back from EuroBasket.
The good news is, with another three years and $174 million on his contract, Milwaukee could force Giannis to stay, but it risks causing major division and chaos in the locker room.
Ultimately, Giannis Antetokounmpo is the identity of Bucks basketball and their ticket to title contention. Losing him would mean starting from scratch in a rising Eastern Conference, and that’s a reality no one in the organization wants to face.
For now, all they can do is hope: hope that EuroBasket doesn’t change his outlook, hope that Myles Turner’s presence is enough, and hope that loyalty wins out over frustration. But hope isn’t a strategy, and if the Bucks don’t find a way to keep their superstar happy, they could be staring down the beginning of the end.
