NBA: Giannis Antetokounmpo has been at the center of numerous trade rumors over the last week or so. These rumors started after Giannis stated he wouldn’t be signing an extension with the team until he knew that both sides were essentially on the same page. That “same page” means both sides need to be interested in winning a championship. Giannis wants no part of a rebuild. What does that mean? Arguably the best player in the NBA will be staying in Milwaukee as long as he feels the organization is putting the team in a position to be a contender every year.
Of course, this isn’t the first time Giannis has stated something like this. He loves Milwaukee, he wants to stay in Milwaukee, he just wants to make sure the team is putting competitive teams around him year after year. Nonetheless, this news has sparked much speculation about where he might wind up if he does leave the Bucks. One team seems to be standing out.
New York Knicks Continue To Pursue A Trade For Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo (NBA)
It has been reported by the respected NBA insider Marc Stein that the Knicks and the Lakers are already on the list of franchises that are presumed to be interested in Giannis in case he decides to opt out of his deal in 2025. Stein went on to say:
By 2025, Antetokounmpo might have a compelling reason to believe his best path to chasing more championships is outside of Milwaukee if that’s his top priority.
Now, whether the Knicks or Lakers could land him is another matter.
Signing Jalen Brunson and making the 2022 playoffs doesn’t mean the Knicks are any more of a star magnet than they were when they continually struck out on their top targets in free agency. Should the team acquire a marquee name via trade before then, the salary cap could come into play as well.
It’s a somewhat similar situation with the Lakers, where the LeBron James era may not be all that instructive as to their status as a preferred destination for the top names. The organization was stuck in the weeds for years before James signed, and we can assume he joined the Lakers for reasons that extended beyond his basketball career.
The off-court benefits of calling L.A. home may not be as appealing to Antetokounmpo.
More than anything, Stein’s report underlines how NBA fans should prepare for the Greek Freak’s 2025 free agency to become a regular source of discourse.
In order to align with Giannis’ contract, the Bucks have also re-signed key players like Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton to longer contracts. There is no doubt that the Bucks have the opportunity to win a championship, but the window to do so is closing fast, especially since the team is now considered one of the oldest in the league.
In order for the Bucks to stay competitive in the NBA year in and year out, it’s up to them to ensure that they keep the roster stocked with players who can help them win championships year in and year out, or else the city risks losing the biggest star they have ever had since the days of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
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