Bucks' Failure to Address Specific Needs May Lead to Giannis Antetokounmpo Exit

The Milwaukee Bucks are entering a very crucial offseason following another early playoff exit. Milwaukee was bounced out of the first round of the playoffs in five games by the Indiana Pacers, ending their season much earlier than anyone expected.

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Now the team is set to face all sorts of uncomfortable questions regarding how they can become title contenders again. But the biggest question looming over the organization is what the future holds for star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Since the Bucks' exit, there has been a ton of speculation around Antetokounmpo. Many around the NBA believe that he would ask out of Milwaukee this summer due to the team no longer being a viable title contender.

In just a few short years, the Bucks have gone from being at the top of the mountain to being nowhere close. One Eastern Conference general manager explained very simply where the Bucks have gone wrong over the years.

"[The cycle] closes when your core players get older and there is no foundation of young players waiting to replace them," an Eastern Conference GM told ESPN during the regular season.

Milwaukee is going to have an interesting summer as it tries to figure out which direction to go. The team can continue with Antetokounmpo as the face of the franchise, but they don't have many routes to go in terms of contention.

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Star guard Damian Lillard also suffered a torn Achilles in the playoffs, and he is now expected to miss the majority of next season. This could play a factor in Antetokounmpo's decision as well, with Milwaukee likely to be fighting for a spot in the Play-In tournament at best next year.

It remains to be seen what Antetokounmpo will do this offseason, but things could get very interesting if he does ask out. Milwaukee will have to think about the future if Antetokounmpo does want to exit, and then make a very tough decision moving forward.

More Bucks news:

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For more news and notes about the Milwaukee Bucks, head on over to Milwaukee Bucks on SI.