The Milwaukee Bucks love to put on the face that Giannis Antetokounmpo has never seriously thought about leaving, but it’s simply a facade. The fact of the matter is that Antetokounmpo does want to play for the Bucks until he retires, if possible. However, he’s not so beholden to the franchise that he’ll stay with them unconditionally.
Bucks Entering ‘Make-Or-Break Season’ With Giannis Antetokounmpo, Knicks Looming
With Antetokounmpo repeatedly stating his desire to be on a true title-contender, Milwaukee has been feeling the pressure to meet his expectations. This is the impetus behind the blockbuster trades that turned out to be somewhat of a dud. It’s also the reason that the Bucks and New York Knicks were able to engage in trade discussions centered around Antetokounmpo in August, according to ESPN senior insider Shams Charania.
Bucks sources had feared, in part because of Antetokounmpo’s expressed desire to win another championship, that he would make a formal trade request during the week of July 28 when Horst embarked on his one-day trip to Greece. League sources close to the situation were expecting the same thing. Antetokounmpo was continuously asking himself, even after the Bucks’ stunning release of Lillard to sign Turner: Can this roster truly compete for a title? Antetokounmpo had serious questions and shared his feelings directly with Horst, league sources said.
“The multiweek process was described by one source with direct knowledge of the talks as an exclusive negotiating window,” Charania would say of Milwaukee and New York’s conversations. There obviously wasn’t enough traction generated to get a deal done as Antetokounmpo remains with the Bucks. However, 2025-26 is now being viewed as “a make-or-break season” for Milwaukee in their efforts to keep the Greek Freak.
The Truth Behind The Mythology
People love to bring up the team loyalty displayed by Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. Yet, it’s a myth.
In May 2007, Bryant publicly requested to be traded by the Los Angeles Lakers, in large part because he wanted to be in a winning situation (h/t ESPN News Services). Jordan never officially demanded a trade, but he threatened to make one in 1990 if the Bulls signed Toni Kukoc, “The Jordan Rules” author Sam Smith writes (h/t Utathya Ghosh of The SportsRush).
So, why should Antetokounmpo stay with the Bucks? To mimic a loyalty that didn’t really exist?
Yes, Milwaukee has been his home base since moving from Greece in 2014. However, that won’t change just because he leaves the franchise that’s there. The growth that he had in Milwaukee, as a man and player, will always be a part of him.
Taking A Step Back
Just four years after winning an NBA championship, the Bucks are unrecognizable.
Jrue Holiday is gone, Kevin Porter Jr. is in. Khris Middleton is gone, Kyle Kuzma is in. Brook Lopez is gone, Myles Turner is in. The only remaining members of the old guard, besides Giannis, are Bobby Portis Jr. and Thanasis Antetokounmpo.
To be fair to the Bucks, Porter is a starting-level and multi-skilled perimeter player. The same can be said of Kuzma. Turner is honestly the best 1:1 replacement that they could have gotten for Lopez. Yet, none of them are quite the level of player as their predecessors. With that in mind, there may not have been anyone outside of the Great Lakes region who bet on Milwaukee winning a ring in 2021.
Even fewer will be doing that this season, perhaps even the Greek Freak himself.
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