After falling in the second round of the 2020 NBA Playoffs, Milwaukee Bucks All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo is left with a difficult decision: to stay with his original team or potentially look to leave in hopes of bettering his chances to win it all. A number of his teams will be interested in his services leading up to his free agency in 2021, whether it's in a trade or when he actually becomes a free agent, including the Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks.
As part of a recent report for The Ringer, Kevin O'Connor listed the Bucks as the favorite in the Giannis sweepstakes. The Greek star seemed adamant that he'll stay after losing to the Miami Heat. However, he also noted that there will be a slough of teams on his trail:
The truth is that Giannis can choose from all 30 teams, because every one would move whatever salaries necessary to create the cap space for him. Or, as Jimmy Butler’s move to Miami last summer showed, a sign-and-trade can be worked out. Take the Clippers, for example: Multiple league sources have recently said the Clippers plan to pursue a deal for Giannis. One of the sources said Giannis has an “admiration” for Clippers head coach Doc Rivers.
Maybe someday Giannis will have to leave in order to win a title, but for now, league sources consider the Bucks the clear favorite for Giannis in 2021. Still, teams will chase him. The Heat are setting up to make a splash in 2021, whether it’s Giannis or another top free agent. Golden State, Toronto, and Dallas hope to make runs at Antetokounmpo too, league sources say.
The Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors and Toronto Raptors have all been rumored as potential Greek Freak destinations already, but the Clippers and Mavs are relatively new on the scene.
To many experts, Giannis Antetokounmpo is the favorite for this season's MVP. The 25-year-old forward made 63 appearances during the regular season, racking up averages of 29.5 points on 55.3 percent shooting from the field (30.4 percent from beyond the arc), 13.6 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.0 steal and 1.0 block.
Giannis has already won Defensive Player of the Year honors, and most are expecting him to claim a second consecutive MVP title for his efforts in this campaign.
If Giannis Antetokounmpo stays with the Bucks, he’ll win the hearts of fans in Wisconsin. If he leaves, though, he could be faced with a fair amount of scrutiny. Milwaukee can offer him the most money, but will that play into his decision? We'll see:
“Obviously everybody talks about his impending free agency, and I think everything is open,” Antetokounmpo’s agent, Alex Saratsis said, via Bleacher Report. “I think he’s someone who could easily say, ‘I’d like to be in Milwaukee my entire career.’ I think he’s also someone who, depending on how the team does, could say, ‘I need a change.’ But for him, staying is absolutely a viable option.”
For now, we'll have to wait and see which team Giannis Antetokounmpo will suit up for in the coming season.
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