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Par Joël Pütz | Journaliste sportif
Everyone is eagerly awaiting confirmation of whether Giannis Antetokounmpo will remain a Milwaukee player beyond the upcoming offseason. But the current trend isn’t exactly reassuring for fans of the franchise, according to Bleacher Report.
The Bucks’ outlook isn’t reassuring. While the franchise may be aiming for the title, it will likely have to scale back its ambitions in 2025-26. The current roster isn’t strong enough to go far, and to make matters worse, Damian Lillard will be sitting on the injury block for several months after tearing his Achilles tendon. These are all factors that could push Giannis Antetokounmpo to leave.
The Greek superstar is indeed hoping to win a second championship, but it’s unclear if he’ll be able to do so in Wisconsin. His name has been circulating among franchises like the Nets, Lakers, and Spurs for the past few weeks, and while nothing more is known, many members of the league seem convinced that his days with the Bucks are numbered. At least, that’s what Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report reports:
Giannis ready to publicly demand his trade this summer?
Several agents polled at the recent NBA combine in Chicago believe the former NBA MVP will direct the Bucks to send him to his preferred location, whatever that might be. The closer he gets to the end of his contract, the greater his power to dissuade other suitors. (…) The league is at a relative standstill, waiting for Antetokounmpo to do what many feel is inevitable: demand a trade.
The Bucks are moving forward as if it’s media creation. Until their star player forces the issue, there’s nothing to discuss. But that moment may be coming. If Antetokounmpo, 30, hopes to win another title, he should probably push for a new opportunity. And he needs to do it well before June’s NBA draft, when teams have maximum flexibility heading into July free agency and the kind of assets needed for the Bucks to comply.
A departure in the coming weeks is therefore becoming increasingly likely, and frankly, it wouldn’t be in the best interest of its management to delay things. Indeed, if they’re going to part ways with the best player in Milwaukee history, they might as well make sure the compensation they get is as monstrous as possible. Under these conditions, waiting until the course of the upcoming season would be a very bad idea:
Moving a player at Antetokounmpo’s salary is possible but difficult during the regular season. Getting a deal done before then should be paramount since maximizing the return at the trade deadline in February may be too difficult. Waiting until Antetokounmpo is in the last guaranteed year of his deal in 2026-27 (he has a player option for 2027-28) would drastically reduce Milwaukee’s leverage.
