It’s the offseason so at this point, it’s no surprise that all sorts of NBA rumors have been going around. One of them involves Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and his potential departure from his team for the last decade.
According to reports, opposing sides are monitoring Antetokounmpo’s situation in Milwaukee this summer as he becomes eligible for an extension — one that the former back-to-back MVP might not be too eager to sign.
Did Marc Larsy Have A Hunch About Giannis Antetokounmpo When He Sold Bucks?
Earlier this year, Marc Larsy sold 25 percent of his ownership stake in the team. For a whopping $3.5 billion, Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and his management company took over Larsy’s position. It was a massive development not only in Bucks franchise history, but given the massive amount that was paid, the purchase sent shockwaves throughout the world of professional sports.
As it turns out, Larsy may have had an ulterior motive when he sold his stake in the organization. Rather, the American billionaire may have had some insider knowledge of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s plans for the future — at least according to NBA analyst Bill Simmons:
“I think Marc Lasry selling his share, to me, was an all-time sell high move when he did it for two reasons: one is the evaluations was nuts. He wasn’t the controlling partner because he and Wes Edens had that they rotated at every five years things. So I think that Edens is in charge right now, but he sold high on the evaluation,” Simmons said on a recent episode of his podcast (h/t Shane Garry Acedera of Basketball Network).
“But there’s like a little Conspiracy Bill side of it which is like, I’m going to sell high right now before two years from now, if Giannis leaves and all of a sudden, the Bucks aren’t worth nearly much because they’re basically Charlotte at that point, right?”
I guess you can say it was more of a hunch as opposed to insider knowledge. There is obviously no substantial evidence to support Simmons’ conspiracy theory here, but you have to note that Marc Larsy is one of the most successful businessmen on the planet. His $2.1 billion net worth is a clear testament to this fact. As such, he would not have sold his stake in the team if he did not have a compelling reason to do so.
Will Giannis Antetokounmpo Actually Leave Bucks?
Giannis Antetokounmpo is still under contract with Milwaukee through 2026. He has a player option for the final year of his deal, though, which means that technically speaking, he could walk away from the team at the end of the 2024-25 season. That’s going to be two years from now.
That is, of course, under the premise that the 28-year-old ends up not signing an extension this summer. If Milwaukee places an extension offer on the table and Giannis opts to decline it, then surely, there’s going to be a lot more questions about his future.
For More Wisconsin Sports:
Follow me on Twitter at @PaoloSongcoNBA, and follow us @WiSportsHeroics. Also, check out our Merchandise Here! Get 20% off with the code “WSH.” You can also reach out to Paolo Songco via email at pao.songco@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Wisconsin sports, click here! Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Brewers, Milwaukee Bucks, Wisconsin Badgers.
