Questions are being asked about Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future with the Milwaukee Bucks, following a disappointing season for the team.
Bucks’ Disappointing Season
Bucks head coach Doc Rivers has expressed his disappointment with the last two seasons. “It’s been disappointing, obviously,” said Rivers. “Since I’ve been here, I haven’t had a healthy stretch and it’s been your key guys. It’s been Giannis. It’s been Dame [Lillard] … This year, having only one quote-unquote star, every other team has two and three. We needed health. We were thin … All the talk [around Giannis] and all that stuff probably didn’t help either.”
Milwaukee are likely to finish with their worst record since Antetokounmpo’s rookie year. Antetokounmpo has played a career-low 36 games this season and, barring something surprising, won’t play in another.
Antetokounmpo’s Future in Milwaukee
The question remains: will Antetokounmpo ever wear a Bucks jersey again?
Jon Horst, Milwaukee’s top basketball executive, is unlikely to give up easily. The Bucks will have three first-round picks available to be traded on draft night, along with the moveable contracts of Myles Turner, Kyle Kuzma and Bobby Portis. Horst has pulled rabbits out of his hat before. The trades for Holiday, Jrue and Lillard, Damian led to Antetokounmpo signing extensions.
However, it may be more difficult this time around. Bucks co-owner Wes Edens spoke candidly in an interview: if Antetokounmpo declines to sign an extension…
The MVP race is heating up, but the future of one of basketball’s biggest stars is also a key talking point.