NBA Rumors: Giannis Antetokounmpo continues to leave hints that he could be ready to leave the Milwaukee Bucks.
The official start of the NBA season (which is marked by the beginning of training camps) is less than three weeks away. Soon enough, we’ll be getting news of the happenings around actual basketball. For now, though, the rumor mill continues to be churning overtime. And Giannis Antetokounmpo finds himself in the limelight once again.
As a guest on the 48 Minutes podcast, Giannis admitted (or said) that if there was another team that gave him a better chance to win a championship, he would have to go with that team. Of course, the context of this question revolved around his future.
Giannis still has two guaranteed years on his contract before he can opt-out and test free agency. The earliest that can happen is the summer of 2025.
Here is the golden quote that I’m sure won’t be taken out of context at all:
"“I’m a Milwaukee Buck, but most importantly I’m a winner… If there is a better situation for me to win the Larry O’Brien I have to take that better situation.”"
Giannis potentially leaving in free agency continues to gain traction
This only adds fuel to the “Giannis possibly leaving Milwaukee” fire as just a couple of weeks ago, Giannis kind of said a similar thing when he told reporters that he wasn’t planning on signing an extension with the Bucks this offseason. Giannis wants to make sure the Bucks are the organization that is giving him the best chance to win a title.
Quite frankly, you can’t blame Giannis. His honesty is a breath of fresh air. Why wouldn’t Giannis be seeking the best possible future for himself? And let’s be frank here; this is not Giannis saying that if he isn’t happy with the Bucks’ direction he’s going to demand a trade. This is the exact opposite of the recent trend that’s been taking place in the league.
This is Giannis putting pressure on the front office to get in order or he could test free agency once he becomes eligible. That’s exactly the point of free agency for star players. Giannis should be using his upcoming free agency as a tool for himself.
Giannis wants to win. He’s already won one championship but if there’s anything we’ve learned about him it’s that one is not enough. For the rest of his career, whether he likes it or not, it’s championship or bust for Giannis. Wherever he goes. The question is, do the Bucks give him the best chance to win multiple championships?