Rumors continue to fly around regarding the future of Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. A parting of ways could be on the cards at some point in the future, but Antetokounmpo once again expressed his love for Milwaukee on The 2night Show.
“I’m loyal,” Antetokounmpo said. “Milwaukee gave me everything, they changed my life and my family’s life. I want to live in the moment, I want to win another championship with the Bucks.”
While Antetokounmpo deserves all the credit for the player he is today, he does owe a lot to the Bucks. They believed in him and gave him every chance to succeed in the NBA.
Antetokounmpo today has an NBA title, a Finals MVP, two MVPs, and one DPOY on his resume. By the time his current contract ends in 2028, he will have made $459 million in salaries. Not too bad for someone who grew up in poverty.
All that said, Bucks fans can’t breathe a sigh of relief based on those comments. It would appear he also said on this episode that if the team cannot compete for a championship, he will think about his and his family’s future.
The message is clear. Antetokounmpo would prefer staying with the Bucks, who drafted him with the 15th pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, but if they are not capable of winning a title, he is going to consider his options. The 30-year-old has given the front office time to put together a good team around him, but they haven’t had any sort of success in recent years.
The Bucks have been eliminated in the first round in each of the last three seasons. Injuries have definitely played a part in that, but the team didn’t stand much of a chance of going all the way the last two seasons anyway.
The Bucks have made a couple of moves this summer in the hopes of improving and keeping Antetokounmpo happy. Earlier this offseason, they waived the injured Damian Lillard and stretched his contract to bring in Myles Turner in free agency. The Bucks also signed his brother, Alex Antetokounmpo, on Monday to a two-way deal, to make him as comfortable as possible.
At the end of the day, though, it will be the results that determine what Antetokounmpo does. If the Bucks have another early exit, it would appear there is a good chance he asks out. The nine-time All-Star can become a free agent in 2027 by opting out of his $62.7 million player option for 2027-28, so it would be in the team’s best interests to move him next year if he does want to leave.
A whole host of teams would be looking to bring in Antetokounmpo if he does become available. The Bucks did discuss a trade with the New York Knicks in the offseason, but no deal ever even came close to materializing. It will ultimately take a massive package for Antetokounmpo to get traded, but he’d be worth it.
Antetokounmpo averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 0.9 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game for the Bucks in 2024-25. He finished third in voting for MVP, and you would expect him to keep playing at this high level for a few more years. If Antetokounmpo is surrounded by good enough pieces in that timeframe, he is fully capable of leading a team to glory.
