Franchise loyalty has become increasingly rare in today’s NBA. Stars frequently move in search of better opportunities and championship-caliber rosters. A rare few players, like Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo, stand out, still representing the teams that drafted them.
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But even their loyalty can be tested over time, especially when postseason heartbreak becomes a pattern. The Milwaukee Bucks, after Tuesday night’s 118-119 loss against the Indiana Pacers, suffered their third first-round playoff exit in a row. This has led to speculations about Giannis’ future in Milwaukee.
Rumors have floated around in the past as well about Giannis’ interest in being traded. However, time and again, he has shown that he’s fully committed to the Bucks. But considering their recent loss and Damian Lillard being sidelined for ages, will he stay put? A few days back, Rachel Nichols said Giannis would eventually leave Milwaukee.
“I think he may end up being like KG [Kevin Garnett]. I think he will be there for a really long time and realizes at some point that this is what’s best,” she had said on All the Smoke. KG remained loyal to the Minnesota Timberwolves for over a decade since joining them in 1995. After countless heartbreaks, he moved to Boston and became an NBA champion a year later.
After the Bucks’ exit, Nichols took to X again to share her thoughts on Giannis. She reminisced about the great moments. But the underlying hint once again was about his impending exit, seeking championship glory.
“The people of Milwaukee have been great to Giannis, and Giannis has been great to them. That ending was…hard, and a lot is likely to happen from here. But it’s worth a moment to appreciate that this has been a decade-plus of goodness with some supreme moments of joy,” wrote Nichols.
So, was this the last time we saw Giannis in Milwaukee colors? It’s too soon to say definitively.
However, the Bucks have some glaring issues that need to be worked on. The squad is aging. They are limited in cap space and lacking in young assets.
Moving ahead, Giannis will have a tough decision to make. Whether he’ll stay in Milwaukee, embrace the challenge, and figure a way out, or he’ll make his peace with the circumstances and look outside for better opportunities.
The final call is his to make. But if Giannis leaves, it’ll only make things worse for the franchise.
