Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future with the Milwaukee Bucks has become one of the most talked-about topics in the NBA. As the team faces mounting challenges and the Greek Freak approaches the peak of his career, the tension between loyalty and ambition grows. With the Bucks’ current roster failing to meet expectations, the question remains: Will Giannis stick with the team that helped him win a championship, or will he seek a fresh start for the sake of his legacy? The stakes are high, and the next move could define the course of his career.
Where can we even start on Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo? There’s too much love to agree that a future together is just living in denial. This season has exposed vulnerabilities in Milwaukee that needed to be addressed for their sakes. And the biggest one is this- Giannis is too good for them, and his supporting cast is as underwhelming as it gets. Apparently, Damian Lillard is expected to miss out on the entirety of next season with his Achilles injury. And Kyle Kuzma- well, it’s best we don’t talk about him.
So what’s next? The two most obvious scenarios come with Giannis Antetokounmpo prioritising his loyalty, or thinking about Team Giannis and opting for a more successful immediate future. He might in his prime at 30, but he’s not gonna get any younger. And on that note, let’s break down each scenario in detail.
Let’s speak of the obvious first- in which the Greek Freak chooses loyalty over personal gains. He said this back in February: “I don’t think that I would ever text (and ask for a trade), I am not this kind of guy, they would have to kick me out.” All this does is point to one thing- that Giannis values loyalty. And why wouldn’t he- he won the 2021 NBA Championship with the Bucks. But loyalty comes to an end when there’s an inevitable situation posted in front of you.
So, for the Greek to even stay the next season at minimum, there are two possibilities- he stays loyal for one year while the Bucks make small tune-ups to their squad. Add a shooter here, a defender there, then watch how the next season unfolds before Giannis decides on a larger move. The second is where Giannis chooses to stay the whole contract duration and leave as an unrestricted free agent in 2027. This gives the Greek full freedom, but on the flip side, gives Milwaukee a big empty bucket of nothing. They wouldn’t want that.
So, if they were to let him go in the upcoming off-season, what mathematics could be most logical for Jon Horst? Former Grizzlies’ VP of basketball operations John Hollinger has published a wild idea online.
Damian Lillard-Bradley Beal swap could give Giannis Antetokounmpo the temptation to stay
Under this scenario, Milwaukee would unload the injured Lillard, whose Achilles tear looms over next season’s cap, and absorb Beal’s contract, banking on his scoring punch alongside Giannis. Mind you- this is just for Antetokounmpo to stay. The Bucks now reap what they sowed with questionable trade decisions in the past. This now puts them under a heap of trouble over salary caps. How would this scenario benefit the Wisconsin city?
Well, this would mean an immediate offload of Dame’s contract. Swapping Lillard’s max extension (35% of cap) for Beal’s $50 million deal may not free space immediately. But this will about a reprieve that both parties will benefit from. Beal has been eyed by the Suns for months (even demoted to their bench in January) and Mat Ishbia has signaled willingness to listen on trades if Beal waives his clause. But the difference in play styles could become a factor, even playing into Giannis’s voice of concern.
Dame’s a better two-way player. He’s no Austin Reaves or Lu Dort, but a much better defensive option than Beal. Big Panda’s defensive metrics lag league average, potentially forcing Giannis into more on-ball coverage and tiring him on that end. But Doc Rivers is in dire need of another scorer. Giannis’ constant triple-doubles leading to nothing are proof of that. So in that case, Beal‘s high volume shooting and point scoring could ease the Greek in that regard.
The bottom line is, Lillard-for-Beal swap offers Milwaukee a new offensive weapon besides Giannis, but it trades one set of limitations (an injured superstar contract) for another (a large, ball-dominant scorer with defensive liabilities). Whether this satisfies Giannis’s championship aspirations or merely delays a franchise rebuild will determine if the Greek remains in Milwaukee past his current deal. But regardless, this just means that Giannis Antetokounmpo’s situation at the Bucks is worse than we expected. How do you see this situation playing out?
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