The NBA offseason looked like it might be centered around the trade market of Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. But the speculation might already be over before rumors really began to swirl. After losing in the first round of the NBA playoffs for the third consecutive year, speculation mounted about Antetokounmpo wanting to play elsewhere, given the Bucks will enter next season without Damian Lillard, who suffered a torn Achilles in the postseason.
That puts what were already slim championship hopes in even further danger, and with little ability to upgrade the roster significantly this summer (the Bucks don’t control a single of their first-round draft picks until 2031, and don’t have any attractive trade chips on the roster), many zeroed in on the 30-year-old superstar’s desire to remain in Milwaukee. There have been no shortage of reports detailing potential suitors, as the Spurs, Rockets, Knicks and even the Raptors have been floated around should Antetokounmpo request out of Milwaukee. But it sounds as though the NBA champion is more inclined to stay with the Bucks, at least that’s what he hinted to while talking with media in Brazil this week.
When asked about his thoughts on the NBA Finals matchup between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers, Antetokounmpo shared his insight, while giving some hope to Bucks fans.
“Two great teams made it there, two great teams…Indiana, with my friend Pascal Siakam, is reaping its rewards, and on the OKC side, you’ve got the MVP right there,” Antetokounmpo said, per Coast to Coast Brazil. “I’m rooting for some good basketball. That’s it. The Finals are something else, I hope to be back soon with the Bucks.”
That’s certainly not a full commitment from Antetokounmpo. Still, that’s about as strong of a confirmation that Antetokounmpo may stay in Milwaukee after all. Of course, he could just be saying that because that’s the team he’s currently with, but who knows. There’s also the latest reporting from ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, who said Tuesday morning that there’s been no trade discussions centered around Antetokounmpo.
“Right now, there is no Giannis Antetokounmpo trade market,” Windhorst said. “There is no Giannis Antetokounmpo trade discussions. He has not asked for it, the Bucks are not looking to trade him.”
From all the reporting out there, and the quote from Antetokounmpo himself, everything points toward him remaining with the Bucks. That should relieve some stress for Milwaukee’s front office, but if Antetokounmpo is staying, that means the team still needs to build a championship contender around him. With Lillard out next season, they have an immediate need for a starting point guard, and one who can shoulder some of the offensive burden with Giannis.
Milwaukee has an aging roster that is in need of some upgrades. But with no tradable assets and no room to sign quality talent in free agency, it’s going to take some creativity from the front office to figure out how to make this team more than just a middle-of-the-pack squad for next season. Antetokounmpo may be staying, but that doesn’t even begin to fix the issues facing the Bucks this summer.
