Until the regular season starts, there’s one man who will be traveling to all teams in the rumor world is Giannis Antetokounmpo. And after Lillard’s departure, the issue has taken shape more than ever, even if the Milwaukee fans do not want him to leave. But this time, the voice has gone past fans as teammate Kyle Kuzma echoed similar sentiments. But is the Greek Freak staying? The million-dollar question, which had been unanswered until now, may now have a direction.
Even though the 30-year-old forward has been teammates with the Greek Freak for less than a year, it seems like he’s built a great bond with the Milwaukee superstar. The Bucks had lately built a strong roster around Giannis and Lillard (even though they moved him) in search of another ring, and the bonhomie reflects now. Recently, Kuzma took to Instagram to post a cryptic message. Kuzma posted a picture of himself wearing the latest Giannis Antetokounmpo signature sneaker, the Nike Freak 7 “Ignition”.
While the sneaker that just launched last month was stunning, that wasn’t what caught everyone’s eye. Instead, it was the caption that Kyle Kuzma posted along with the picture. “You might be up to something @giannis_an34 ,” he wrote. Even though there’s a good chance that Kuzma was talking about how good Giannis’ newest line of kicks was, a few did not think so. Kuzma might be using this caption as a metaphor to address the forward’s future plans, but to keep it direct, from the EssentiallySports newsdesk, it seems more like Kuzma playing with the ongoing sentiment than actually something happening around the Bucks star. But this isn’t the first time he’s hinting at something.
Mar 1, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) celebrates with Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (0) and Milwaukee Bucks forward Kyle Kuzma (18) against the Dallas Mavericks during the first half at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
The 30-year-old has pulled off such a stunt on social media previously, too. Not long ago, Kyle Kuzma posted a story of him training Muay Thai with a caption that read, “Me to @giannis_an34 if you leave next year,” with a handful of laughing emojis. So, it won’t be far-fetched to assume that this is also another message to Giannis Antetokounmpo from his teammate, who doesn’t want him to leave Milwaukee, because who does? But the answer lies in how the Bucks shape their upcoming season, as the only way to keep the man from Greece in the core is a ring.
Well, it’s not just the fans and teammates who don’t want to see the Greek Freak leave Milwaukee; even the front office is making desperate moves with the hopes of making Giannis stay.
The Bucks have made desperate decisions to make Giannis stay
Ever since the Milwaukee Bucks crashed out in the first round of the playoffs, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future has been far from certain. After their exit, it became clear that the current roster was nowhere near title contention. So, changes were inevitable. If they did not make moves to bolster their ranks, the front office knew that the Greek superstar might put in a trade request, so they had to take a gamble. And that’s exactly what Jon Horst did!
Mar 5, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) grabs a rebound against the Dallas Mavericks in the third quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
He took a big swing, buying out Damian Lillard and landing Myles Turner in a desperate move that no one saw coming. Not even Giannis, even if we take things at face value. While many consider this deal a give and take, it does make sense to us, given that the Bucks did lose their starting point guard. However, we have to consider the fact that Lillard was not going to play almost the entirety of the next season, and Milwaukee is looking to maximize Giannis’s championship window. So, getting a replacement for Brook Lopez, who is not only better than the big man but also younger, is a good deal.
However, the Bucks front office cannot stop there. That’s because acquiring Turner isn’t enough; there’s still a lot of work to be done in order to make Giannis Antetokounmpo think that he can compete with the franchise for a few more years. This is a huge reason why the Bucks have been linked with Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, who will certainly be a solid addition. Although not much progress has been made in that regard as of late, this is certainly something you should keep your eye on, cause we for sure will.
The post Teammate’s Cryptic Message Hints at Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Next Move Amid Bucks’ Desperate Decision appeared first on EssentiallySports.
