• Giannis Antetokounmpo’s recent comments implied he is looking to move on from the Bucks if they can’t compete in 2023-24
• An assistant GM believes the Bucks’ first-round elimination in the 2023 playoffs has motivated this decision
• The GM believes Giannis will have a tough time leaving if the team reaches the Conference or NBA Finals this season
Giannis Antetokounmpo dropped a bomb this offseason when he frankly spoke about the reason he’s not rushing to sign a contract extension in the summer. He openly said he needs to see a competitive commitment from the Bucks in the next season or two, otherwise, he’ll leave.
Fox Sports’ Ric Bucher spoke to an anonymous Assistant GM in the NBA, who believes Giannis had an eye-opening moment after the Bucks lost to the eighth-seeded Heat in the first round.
“That happening to him in the first round is the reason for the stance he’s taking, which is, ‘I’m not saying I’m not coming back, but I need to see which team we are. Are we a first-round exit team? Or are we really a Finals team that just happened to lose in the first round for different reasons last year?’ I actually side with the fact that they just had an unexpected, unique kind of situation that had them lose in the first round. They could very well go to the Finals or conference finals this year, and if that happens, it would be pretty hard for Giannis to leave.”
Giannis is one of the best players of the last decade and would change the fabric of the NBA if he decided to switch teams. This season is crucial for everyone on the Bucks, as another bad year could lead to Giannis asking out on an expiring contract next season.
An Aging Core Marks The End Of The Road
Giannis is still only 28 years old, having multiple years of his prime still ahead of him. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said about the players around him. Jrue Holiday is 33, Khris Middleton is 32, and Brook Lopez is 35. Even if the Bucks wanted to pivot, an Eastern Conference GM believes the Bucks don’t have the assets to flip those players into upgrades.
“What are they going to do? Who are they going to trade for? It’s not like they have a whole bunch of picks or a whole bunch of salaries that people are dying to take on. Are they going to extend Jrue? If they do, I don’t think that’s a guarantee that Giannis stays.”
The competitive window in Milwaukee could be ending by the 2024 offseason, which should make the franchise want to go all-in on maximizing this year. There won’t be upgrades readily available for the assets that they have, especially with Middleton and Lopez signing contract extensions this summer.
Possible Destinations For Giannis Antetokounmpo
There are many teams around the NBA that are already preparing to pounce on a possible Giannis Antetokounmpo deal. Most teams would like to ensure Giannis is theirs by swinging a trade for him, preferably next season when he is on an expiring contract and will have his value at its lowest.
The trade market would likely see the New York Knicks emerge as frontrunners for Giannis. The Lakers could eye Giannis as a long-time LeBron James replacement, given the all-time leading scorer could be on his way out next summer to play with Bronny James. Even teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder have the assets to make a trade for him.
The Chicago Bulls are a team Giannis has previously said he wants to play for, and the team will likely pursue Giannis if he hits free agency. The Dallas Mavericks had eyes on Giannis in 2020 and could get into the sweepstakes to pair him and Luka Doncic up for one of the best one-two punches the league has seen in recent years.
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