Right now, Giannis Antetokounmpo still stands as the Milwaukee Bucks’ cornerstone superstar. However, after hearing his comments about potentially jumping ship in the not-so-distant future, you can’t help but wonder if the former back-to-back MVP’s time in Milwaukee is coming to an end.
Giannis Antetokounmpo To Sign With Warriors via Free Agency?
It comes as no surprise that the basketball world has had a field day with Antetokounmpo’s recent remarks. Theories have popped up left and right about the seven-time All-Star’s potential landing spots, with some more believable than others.
One rather sensational prediction centers around Giannis taking his talents to the Bay Area to join Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors. Eddie Bitar of Fadeaway World believes that this is a very real possibility if Antetokounmpo decides not to sign a new deal with the Bucks:
“Giannis is under contract until 2025, with a player option worth $51,935,268 in 2026, and if he does not re-sign, he will most likely end up in Golden State with a 38-year-old Stephen Curry and 36-year-old Klay Thompson under head coach Steve Kerr to dominate the NBA once again,” Bitar wrote.
Giannis and Steph Curry on the same team? That would be pretty wild. Granted that Curry would be pushing 40 at that point, but since the GOAT shooter doesn’t rely on much athleticism in his game, you can still see him shooting the lights out on a nightly basis — especially with Antetokounmpo in the mix.
Will Milwaukee Bucks Let Giannis Antetokounmpo Walk Away for Nothing?
If they had a choice, you can be sure that the Bucks wouldn’t let Giannis Antetokuonmpo leave. However, if the 7-foot forward refuses to sign a new deal (or demands a trade), then the front office would be left with no other choice.
Giannis will be eligible to sign a historic contract extension next summer — one that would set the record for the biggest deal in NBA history. If Antetokounmpo refuses to sign that deal, then it would only mean that he wants out. The Bucks would then be left with no other options but to either risk losing him as a free agent or cash in on him while they still can.
There are a lot of smart minds in the front office, and it’s highly likely that they would opt for the latter. The Bucks should be able to get a major haul in exchange for Antetokounmpo in a massive blockbuster deal, and they could use whatever they get in return to either reset their championship timeline or remain competitive in the present by converting said assets to win-now pieces.
Whatever the case might be, it’s hard to imagine the Bucks letting their generational superstar walk away for absolutely nothing.
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