Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo suffered one of the most painful losses of his career after his team got eliminated by the Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference Finals. He led the Bucks to victories in the first two games of the series, but he struggled over the next four contests, and they lost all of them.
Now the Bucks will look into the offseason not only to regroup, but also to improve their roster. Reports have indicated that the team will prioritize re-signing Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez this summer.
Milwaukee is expected to once again be one of the best teams in the East next season, and after what they've shown over the past eight months, it seems that it's only a matter of time before they finally advance to the NBA Finals.
But according to ESPN's Malika Andrews, a Finals run is not just a goal for the Bucks, it could be a requirement to help keep Antetokounmpo with the franchise long-term.
Antetokounmpo has consistently made public proclamations of his love for Milwaukee, as he grew up and became acclimated to American culture in Cream City after moving from Greece. Antetokounmpo adores the Bucks medical staff. His mother moved to Milwaukee. But he is all about winning. In more concrete terms, a source close to Antetokounmpo said that getting to the NBA Finals is not just an ambition, it could tip the scales as he weighs his contractual future.
And if they can reach the NBA Finals next season, the Bucks can improve their chances of signing Antetokounmpo to the supermax in the summer of 2020.
The Greek Freak is expected to win this year's MVP award, but that's not what he's after. He wants a chance to compete for a championship, and the Bucks need to make sure that their roster is capable of doing just that. Losing a guy like Antetokounmpo will be devastating for this franchise.
However, that might be easier said than done, as there are rumors that some of the top free agents this summer are reportedly considering going east.
The Bucks will need to make wise decisions this summer if they want to maintain the success they have achieved this season.
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