Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks to reportedly meet about future next week amid trade speculation
Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks will meet in the coming week to discuss the future of the team and which direction the front plans to take following a first-round playoff loss to the Indiana Pacers.
The Bucks contacted Antetokounmpo on Saturday to set up the meeting, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes. The conversation will be "very, very crucial," in Haynes' words, as the team will apparently explain to its star player whether the ambition is to pursue another NBA championship in the near future.
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Beginning a rebuilding process seems more likely with Damian Lillard likely to miss all of next season after sustaining a torn left Achilles tendon during the Bucks' playoff defeat. Adding new — and younger — talent to the roster won't easy since Milwaukee doesn't have a first-round pick under its control until 2031.
Center Brook Lopez is 37 and Bobby Portis is 30. Khris Middleton (33) was traded for the slightly younger Kyle Kuzma, but the eight-year veteran will turn 30 before next season. Kuzma also didn't make much of an impact upon joining the Bucks, highlighted by posting a box score with zero counting stats in Game 1 of Milwaukee's matchup with Indiana.
That leaves the Bucks with little choice but to trade their most valuable asset to kickstart a rebuild. Antetokounmpo will turn 31 next season and would rather play for another NBA title rather than spend the remaining years of his career trying to help Milwaukee regain contender status in the Eastern Conference.
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Antetokounmpo is reportedly open to the idea of being traded and possibly ending his NBA career with another team. He would attract major interest on the trade market and NBA observers have linked him to several playoff and championship contenders including the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors.
The two-time NBA MVP is under contract for three more years, including a player option for 2027-28, which would mean any team trading for Antetokounmpo would get him for a long-term pursuit of a championship.
Adding to trade speculation will be Antetokounmpo's response to a question about his favorite NBA cities during an informal Saturday night Q&A he held with fans on X. Asked which cities make him happiest, he replied "Florida cities." He also said that New York was his favorite place to play on the road.
A trade to the Knicks seems highly unlikely considering that the team already made several deals, getting them Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby during the past two seasons. New York may win an NBA title without Antetokounmpo, as it's set to begin the Eastern Conference Finals on Wednesday versus the Pacers.
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The Miami Heat have little to offer in a deal and if they were to trade stars like Tyler Herro or Bam Adebayo, the team wouldn't be in position to win a championship with Antetokounmpo. That applies to the Brooklyn Nets as well, though they have draft picks to offer. The Orlando Magic have a young core built around Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, but Milwaukee would almost certainly want one of those players in return, which probably makes any trade talks a non-starter.
However, what seems increasingly clear is that something will happen with Antetokounmpo and the Bucks could begin that process as early as after next week's meeting.
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