If Giannis Antetokounmpo doesn’t sign an extension with the Milwaukee Bucks in October, he will be traded.
That’s at least what Bucks co-owner Wes Edens told Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.
“Giannis is going into the last year [of his contract],” Edens said. “So one of two things will happen: Either he will be extended or he’ll be traded.”
“The likelihood you’ll let him just kind of play out the last year, we can’t afford that. It’s not consistent with what’s good for the organization. That’s not a Giannis issue. That’s any player that’s in their last year.”
Antetokounmpo is eligible to sign a four-year, $275 million extension with the Bucks on October 1. The future Hall of Famer was almost traded at this year’s NBA trade deadline, with the Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks and Miami Heat in hot pursuit.
The Bucks have lost in the first round of the playoffs three years in a row. They have won just one playoff series since winning the 2021 championship against the Phoenix Suns.
Antetokounmpo has spent his entire NBA career with the Bucks. He’s a two-time MVP, one-time Finals MVP, one-time Defensive Player of the Year and 10-time All-Star. The superstar has a player option worth $62.8 million for the 2027-28 season under his current contract.
The Bucks want Antetokounmpo to sit out the rest of the season, but the forward has made it clear he intends to keep playing, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Antetokounmpo is currently out with a left knee hyperextension.
A top 75 player of all time, Antetokounmpo has appeared in only 36 games this season due to injuries. He’s averaging 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game while shooting 62.4% from the field, 33.3% from beyond the arc and 65.0% from the free-throw line.
The Bucks are in 11th place in the Eastern Conference standings. If the regular season ended today, they would not be in the NBA play-in tournament. That’s how bad the team has been.
Everyone who covers the NBA is tired of the Antetokounmpo-Bucks situation. Antetokounmpo should formally request a trade this offseason and continue his NBA career elsewhere.
Latest NBA News & Rumors
- LeBron James Shuts Down Las Vegas Expansion Ownership Pursuit
- Kevin Durant Makes Bold Claim About LeBron James: ‘He Could Play Until He’s 45’
- Cade Cunningham Hit With Scary Lung Injury — Detroit Pistons Reveal Stunning Update
- Report: Golden State Warriors Hold ‘Cautious Optimism’ Stephen Curry Returns By Month’s End
- Report: Milwaukee Bucks Want Giannis Antetokounmpo To Shut It Down — But He Refuses
- Deandre Ayton ‘110 Percent’ Bought In As Los Angeles Lakers Surge Toward Playoffs
