Report: ‘Several Teams’ Assume Giannis Antetokounmpo Will Remain With Bucks

According to Matt Moore of Hardwood Paroxysm, “several teams” around the NBA assume Giannis Antetokounmpo will remain with the Milwaukee Bucks.

“There hasn’t been a definitive and certain statement from Giannis Antetokounmpo or the Bucks leaked to the media about his intention to stay, but the tea leaves all read that way, and that’s the assumption being made by several teams,” Moore wrote. “So once again, everyone buried the Giannis Bucks era, and once again, the Greatest Buck Ever looks set to stay the course with the team that drafted him. You can’t blame Bucks fans for laughing at everyone and taking the victory lap once again.”

The Bucks lost to the Indiana Pacers in the first round of this year’s playoffs in five games. 

Milwaukee has won just one postseason series since winning the 2021 championship against the Phoenix Suns in six games. 

Antetokounmpo is a two-time MVP, a one-time Finals MVP, a one-time Defensive Player of the Year and a nine-time All-Star. He has career averages of 23.9 points, 9.9 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.2 blocks. 

“What’s interesting is that several people I spoke to are under the impression there were two meetings. One with Giannis and the front office, with no report of the outcome from it and another with ownership and the front office that was focused on finances, specifically trying to reduce or eliminate their tax bill this summer,” Moore wrote. 

Antetokounmpo, 30, will make $54,126,380 next season. The Bucks signed the forward to a three-year, $175 million extension in October 2023.

Antetokounmpo is one of the top players in the NBA. He averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.2 blocks for the Bucks this season while shooting 60.1% from the field and 61.7% from the free-throw line.

The Greek Freak made the All-NBA First Team this year, but his team was bounced in the first round of the playoffs by the Pacers for the second year in a row.