NBA Rumors: 4 Teams Giannis Antetokounmpo is most likely to leave Bucks for

Milwaukee Bucks

If nothing else, Giannis Antetokounmpo has shown that he is a humble and loyal person. The Milwaukee Bucks drafted him back in 2013. They are the only NBA team he has played for in his ten-year career. The city of Milwaukee practically took him in and watched him grow.

The Bucks went from being a perennial doormat to a perennial contender. One could say the state-of-the-art Fiserv Form is “the house that Giannis built.” The 28-year-old Nigerian by way of Athens, Greece helped deliver an NBA Championship in 2021 – the city’s first in 50 years.

Giannis Antetokounmpo will be appreciated forever in Milwaukee whether he stays or goes in 2025. His number 34 will hang from the rafters of the Fiserv Forum one day. Giannis’ name is all over the Bucks’ all-time statistical leaders and he’s arguably the greatest player in Bucks franchise history.

All of that isn’t lost on Antetokounmpo. He isn’t satisfied with winning just one NBA Championship though. I don’t know this for sure, but I’m confident that his preference is to win NBA titles in Milwaukee while continuing to wear a Bucks uniform.

As other star players have done in the past, Giannis put on the Bucks to build a contending team around him before he commits to a long-term contract extension. They held up to their part of the bargain in 2020 and Antetokounmpo re-signed.

He’s taking a page from his own playbook in 2023. The Bucks re-signed Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez becoming a repeat NBA luxury tax offender as a result. Adrian Griffin replaces Mike Budenholzer as head coach. It remains to be seen how the team responds to a new voice.

The Bucks will also have cap flexibility in 2025. The 2025 free agent class currently includes Brandon Ingram, Jamal Murray, Myles Turner, and Lauri Markkanen. Giannis may not want to join other stars, but perhaps those other stars join Giannis. It’s happened before. It could happen again.

Milwaukee doesn’t want to lose the “Greek Freak.” I don’t believe Giannis WANTS to leave the Bucks either. At the same time, I do believe he COULD leave if the Bucks don’t sustain a contending roster around him.

One thing is for sure. There will be plenty of teams vying for Antetokounmpo’s services in 2025.