The Milwaukee Bucks are going to be carried by Giannis Antetokounmpo this season even more than they have been in the past. They no longer have a second All-Star on the roster.
After waiving Damian Lillard to help make room to sign Myles Turner, they no longer have a second All-Star. That means Antetokounmpo is going to have to be the best player in the league.
With the lack of talent around him, Antetokounmpo is going to have to be a really great player this year. One executive around the NBA believes he will win the MVP.
In a poll sent out by ESPN to executives around the league, one executive believes that Giannis Antetokounmpo will win the MVP this season. He finished tied for fifth in the poll with Anthony Edwards.
Each of them received one vote. Nikola Jokic was the favorite, receiving seven votes. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished behind him with five, and Luka Doncic was third with four votes. Victor Wembanyama was fourth with two votes.
Without a proven number-two on the roster, the Bucks will rely on Antetokounmpo to lead them in almost every statistical category. He certainly has the talent to do that.
Antetokounmpo finished third in the MVP voting a year ago behind SGA and Jokic, so it's certainly plausible that his production will go up and he could win the award this season.
If the Bucks want to make it out of the first round of the playoffs, the Bucks need Antetokounmpo to play like an MVP of the league. He might have to be the best player in the league for them to really be elite.
An NBA championship run and Antetokounmpo's future in Milwaukee might hinge on how close he comes to winning the MVP. He needs to be at the top of that poll for them to have any kind of chance.
Last season, Antetokounmpo averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game. He shot 60.1 percent from the field and 22.2 percent from beyond the 3-point arc.
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