Is it too early for the Toronto Raptors to start planning for the next time Giannis Antetokounmpo hits the open market?
Maybe not.
In a recent interview with GQ, the Milwaukee Bucks' two-time league MVP seemed to suggest he might not be long for Milwaukee just one year into the supermax extension he signed two summers ago.
“One challenge was to bring a championship here and we did,” he told GQ's Zach Baron. “It was very hard, but we did. Very, very hard. I just love challenges. What’s the next challenge? The next challenge might not be here."
“Me and my family chose to stay in this city that we all love and has taken care of us—for now,” Antetokounmpo added. “In two years, that might change. I’m being totally honest with you. I’m always honest. I love this city. I love this community. I want to help as much as possible.”
It was a strange enough response for Baron to reach out to Antetokounmpo's agent, Alex Saratsis, who tried to clarify the comments.
“I don’t think it’s, ‘I’m thinking about leaving the Bucks,’” Saratsis said. “But I think he’s genuinely like: ‘Okay, I have reached the pinnacle. The next challenge is, let’s repeat.’ But what happens if you do repeat? What’s the next challenge? What is that next barrier? When you think about it from a basketball perspective, by the age of 26, this kid has accomplished everything."
The Raptors certainly had everything set up to make a run at Antetokounmpo had he not signed his extension. They cleared enough cap space to make a max-contract offer, but Antetokounmpo decided to return to Milwaukee and subsequently went on to win his first NBA title.
Instead, Toronto has had to settle for Antetokounmpo's youngest brother, Alex Antetokounmpo, who joined the Raptors 905 this year. It's not quite the same as the Giannis, but maybe one day the Bucks superstar will come north, joining his brother, Masai Ujiri
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