Giannis Antetokounmpo has been with the Milwaukee Bucks for 12 seasons and is still in the thick of his prime. And even though he was able to win a title back in 2021, he recently expressed that he’s hungry for another. That’s why ESPN analyst Tim McMahon said that Giannis has a tough decision to make this summer.
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When the Bucks traded for Jrue Holliday before the 2020-21 season, the move promptly paid off in an NBA championship. So, imagine what Milwaukee thought was going to happen when they traded for Damian Lillard in 2023.
Well, the team underperformed, finishing sixth in the Eastern Conference, and they were quickly ushered out of the playoffs by the Indiana Pacers 4 games to 2. Now, down 0-2 to the same opponent in the first round, the future is looking grim for the Bucks and Giannis.
“They won a title, so that’s nice. But it’s a bleak future. Like, what’s Giannis supposed to do this summer?” McMahon questioned. “He’s seen this thing through, and he has a decision to make. Does he want to be a one-franchise guy, or does he want to contend for championships while he’s still in his prime? Whatever he chooses, it’s his choice. There’s not a wrong answer. I wouldn’t fault the guy either way. But that’s the decision.”
Giannis has never truly hinted at wanting to leave Milwaukee. He’s been quite loyal to the franchise and fanbase but that does come with a few stipulations.
“I don’t want to stay in my comfort zone. I want to be challenged. And if the challenge is here, which it is right now – we have a real challenge, people don’t respect us, we have good group, it’s good. But we might not have a challenge one day. We might be rebuilding as a team, or we might not be chasing nothing,” said Giannis this past February.
It’s a good point that McMahon made though. If he goes down in the first round in back-to-back seasons, it’s hard to think things haven’t run their course or are at least close to that point.
Bucks and Giannis In Precarious Position
Down 0-2 to the Pacers and looking overmatched, the Bucks are in serious trouble of being bounced in the first round by the same team that ended it last season. This has put them in quite a precarious position. Any further errors in the series by Giannis or Dame, and they will be on their way to Cancun soon enough.
But it’s hard to blame either of the Milwaukee stars for their play. Dame has miraculously come back from blood clots in his legs, while Giannis has been playing exceptionally well. But the team around the two is just not good enough. Kyle Kuzma and Gary Trent Jr. haven’t been good enough. Brook Lopez is a shell of his younger self.
McMahon is totally right, Giannis and the Bucks are on their way to elimination, and the future doesn’t look bright. They’ve traded away assets to acquire pieces that haven’t meshed well together. It’s going to take Giannis continually carrying this franchise year in and year out for them to remain competitive. Does he want that for his career?
Or does Giannis want to play alongside perhaps the youngest core in the NBA with the Oklahoma City Thunder? They certainly have the picks and assets to make a move for him. Or maybe even a bigger market like Houston could make a run at him. It’s a fascinating discussion that we might be having this summer, depending on what Giannis wants to do.
