Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the NBA’s premier players. At 25-years-old, he’s on his way to winning his second-straight MVP, averaging 29.6 points, 13.7 rebounds, and 5.8 assists on 54.7% shooting.
And while he has shown no outward signs of wanting out, his contract expires at the end of the 2020-21 season and there are whispers that he might opt to leave his team given the right situation. This summer, in the “bubble,” players will have the chance to get a head start on the recruiting process, and you can bet many will be in Giannis’ ear, telling him why he should join their team.
But the Bucks aren’t spending to much time thinking about it. In their minds, they can only focus on the things that they’re doing.
(via ESPN)
Even with his upcoming supermax decision full of uncertainty, with the new realities of the league in effect following the pandemic, Milwaukee’s front office isn’t worried about opposing players trying to potentially recruit him.
“Zero. We can only control what we can control. If it’s considered tampering or recruiting or whatever it is, in our league people talk, people are connected, people have relationships,” said Bucks GM Jon Horst. “At the end of the day, I have full confidence in my personal relationship, our league’s relationship, our coach’s relationship, his teammate’s relationship with Giannis in what we’re doing and what we’re about.
The Bucks have done a reasonable job keeping Giannis happy so far, but if they fail to win a chip in the next two seasons, it could impact Giannis’ willingness to leave in free agency.
Teams like the Heat, Warriors, and Knicks have been the loudest teams in the Giannis sweepstakes, but just about every organization in the NBA will look into the idea of signing him.
It will be interesting if these next few months in the bubble will have any bearing on his decision to come.
