Giannis Antetokounmpo ignites Bucks’ title hopes with serious promise

The Bucks take comfort in knowing Antetokounmpo will return as they work to rebound from their third consecutive first-round playoff defeat. After Milwaukee fell to Indiana in a series where seven-time All-NBA guard Damian Lillard went down with a ruptured Achilles, rumors spread about whether Antetokounmpo might demand a trade.

“I want my teammates to feel my presence and feel my seriousness and how much I want to compete and for us to have a great year, but at the end of the day they will understand and if I’m not there today to see them I’ll be there in a few days and we can get the ball rolling,” Antetokounmpo reassured reporters.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and the new look Bucks

On Monday, Antetokounmpo admitted he had thought about his future, but he explained that it is something he has considered throughout his career. He has never hidden the fact that he wants to play for a team fully dedicated to chasing championships.

“I think it’s a disservice to basketball, a disservice to the game to not want to compete at a high level, to want your season to end in April,” he said.

Still, Antetokounmpo chose to return to Milwaukee despite three straight early playoff exits, although the reasoning behind that decision is not entirely clear.

The Bucks shook up their offseason by cutting ties with Lillard, who will miss the entire year, while spreading just over $20 million in payments across the next five seasons under the NBA’s stretch provision. That move cleared the financial room Milwaukee needed to bring in Myles Turner from the Pacers.

Lillard was not the only key departure for Milwaukee. Brook Lopez and Pat Connaughton also moved on, leaving Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis, and Thanasis Antetokounmpo as the last holdovers from the Bucks’ 2021 championship roster. Thanasis returns this season after sitting out the previous year with a torn Achilles tendon.

The Bucks intend to put the ball in Antetokounmpo’s hands more often while spacing the floor with shooters, a formula they leaned on during their strong finish to the 2024-25 regular season when Lillard was sidelined with deep vein thrombosis.