Hall of Famer Charles Barkley has weighed in on the talk pertaining to Giannis Antetokounmpo and his future with the Milwaukee Bucks. According to Barkley, he fears that the reigning MVP might jump ship if the Bucks fail to make significant progress in the playoffs this season — much like what Kevin Durant did with the Oklahoma City Thunder a couple of years back.
Barkley made his statement on ESPN's “Get Up!” program, and the current NBA on TNT host explained why he believes its pretty much championship or bust for Giannis and the Bucks this term.
“That concerns me — that we'll have another Kevin Durant situation, and we really don't want that,” Barkley said. “I think it would be great for basketball if the Bucks won. Giannis is such a great kid, and Milwaukee is one of the most underrated cities in the NBA.”
“(When) Toronto won the championship — it was great for the NBA. And I think it'll be great if Milwaukee won it this year.”
Fair point for Barkley here. Giannis is well on his way to his second straight MVP title, and has proven that he is the best player in the league right now. However, if the Bucks fail to win the championship this season, there's no denying that the doubt will begin creeping in to Antetokounmpo's mind as to whether or not he is with the right team at this point in his career.
Giannis will be entering the final year of his current deal with the Bucks next season, and he is widely expected to sign a mega extension this offseason. However, if he opts not to, then Milwaukee will be left with little choice but to try and cash in on their prized superstar.
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