Every year the Milwaukee Bucks endure an early exit in the playoffs, questions concerning the future of Giannis Antetokounmpo inevitably arise. The 2021 NBA Finals MVP and two-time regular season MVP is still in Cream City for now, but nobody should take his time with the franchise for granted. Their marriage could have an expiration date on it. The Greek Freak himself recognizes how fluid the situation could be, especially after what transpired in Dallas.
“I was having my treatment when a friend told me {Luka} Doncic became a Laker,” Antetokounmpo said, per BasketNews.com. “I was shocked. I s**t myself. If Luka is traded, everybody can be traded. He took his team to the Finals. And it's Luka Doncic. He is 26.”
It was long believed that superstars ran the NBA and could dictate how they wanted their career to play out. That notion was questioned when the Portland Trail Blazers chose to send Damian Lillard to Milwaukee instead of his preferred destination — the Miami Heat — and it was completely ripped to shreds when the Dallas Mavericks dealt a five-time First-Team All-NBA selection who had just led them to the Finals the previous year.
Although many people believe that blockbuster to be an unprecedented decision that will never happen again, the league is wide awake after the Lakers acquired Doncic. An Antetokounmpo trade would be far less surprising, especially since the scenario has been floated many times in recent years. The future Hall of Famer wants to win another title, and at 30 years of age, he surely senses that the clock is ticking.
How much longer will Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bucks stay together?
The Bucks are trying to remain competitive in an Eastern Conference that could be more unpredictable than ever before, signing center Myles Turner to a four-year, $108 million contract in free agency. Is that enough, though? Milwaukee's roster, on paper, is still inferior to that of the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers, and possibly other squads as well.
Antetokounmpo will have to shoulder a huge workload once again if this franchise is going to contend for a championship. Considering he has incurred injuries late in the season or during the playoffs multiple times during his career, that does not sound like a recipe for success. He will need some help.
If the Bucks break down at an inopportune time once more or prove to be too thin outside of their keystone, then definitive changes may finally come. Luka Doncic landed in a new home seven and a half months after competing for a title. Conversely, a Finals appearance might be the only way for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Milwaukee to move forward together.
