For a team less than five years removed from an NBA championship, you would think they’d be more inclined to keep their tea intact than make any kind of big-time panic moves over the summer. But after getting knocked in the first round by the 8th seed in the East, the Bucks find themselves looking within as they ask some hard questions about the future.
As Brian Windhorst illustrated on Get Up! this morning, Milwaukee’s path forward is uncertain at best with the long-term future of guys like Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton, and even Giannis Antetokounmpo now under doubt.
“[Marc Lasry sold] because of the thundercloud that’s on the horizon,” said Windy. “He because there are problems coming and we are now hearing the first rumblings. When a team in a mid-market like this competes for five or six years there becomes increased pressure. Giannis has a contract extension this offseason. If he doesn’t sign that extension, orange light — we got problems. They’ve got two free agents in their 30s, Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton, with the repeater tax starting for them next year and in the new CBA, the rules are set up to penalize teams that are high-salary teams and they have to decide on a coach and whether to pay to 30-year-olds… The Bucks are in a quagmire and we have the first move with the firing of [Mike] Budenholzer.”
.@WindhorstESPN says there are problems looming over the Bucks 😳
"[Marc Lasry sold] because of the thundercloud that's on the horizon. We are now hearing the first rumblings. … The Bucks are in a quagmire and we have the first move with the firing of [Mike] Budenholzer." pic.twitter.com/6eWjZtBw6A
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) May 5, 2023
Windhorst isn’t speaking of any imminent collapse for the Bucks. Rather, he seems to be hinting at a slow and gradual decline that could force Giannis into a difficult situation.
Despite his flaws, and his playoff failures this year, Giannis is still one of the best players in the world and his changing teams would shake up the NBA’s already delicate balance of power in a major way.
Was This Season A Failure For Giannis And The Bucks?
After the heartbreaking collapse against the Heat, a dejected Giannis spoke to the media, where he made headlines for his response to a reporter calling the season a failure.
“It’s not a failure, there are steps to success… Michael Jordan played 15 years and won 6 championships. The other 9 years were a failure? That’s what you’re telling me? Exactly, so why ask me that question? It’s the wrong question,” said Giannis in the post-game press conference. “There’s no failure in sports. There are good days and bad days, some days you’re able to be successful, and some days you’re not.”
There is no doubt that this season did not go according to plan for the Bucks, and things will only get harder for them from here as their stars age, and their ways to add depth diminishes.
For now, though, the Bucks are going to do everything they can to right the ship and do right by Giannis for as long as he’s willing to stick around.
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