The Milwaukee Bucks are not sweating the recent rumors surrounding the Golden State Warriors arising as a “serious threat” to snatch away their franchise talisman Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2021.
The Greek Freak has been intent in staying in the small market franchise, appearing to be a low-maintenance superstar with a fondness for the city of Milwaukee and without the need of the allure of the bright lights.
“Keeping Giannis, it’s a focus obviously,” a Bucks front-office source told Sean Deveney of Heavy.com. “But fighting the Warriors is not a focus. The Warriors are not the concern in the least. They’d have a long way to go to get him to Golden State, they’d have to give away a lot. He has never given any indication that he wants to leave Milwaukee. So a lot of that stuff, it is more chatter than anything.”
Free agency is now happening two years before the fact, hence why this potential story is surfacing in 2019. While many expect the free agent class on 2020 to be a relatively dry one after teams shelled out a record-breaking number on players this summer, 2021 might bring back some of that same excitement, as Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, and Kawhi Leonard will hit the market.
However for the Warriors to reel in Antetokounmpo, they would have to make some big-time sacrifices of their own after locking down their core for the long term this summer. Golden State would have to relinquish Klay Thompson, who will make $190 million over the next five years, or either the newly-acquired D'Angelo Russell or the freshly re-signed Draymond Green.
Antetokounmpo is likely heading to make the biggest contract of his NBA career in 2021, and those five years won't come cheap for the Bucks, the Warriors, or any other team willing to shell out some big-time bills for The Greek Freak.
Follow Us
Subscribe