The Milwaukee Bucks are pitching Giannis Antetokounmpo on using the 2025-26 season as a “gap year” to rebuild the roster, according to NBA insider Marc Stein. This approach aims to keep Giannis loyal after 12 seasons while allowing the team to regroup.
The East’s current landscape makes this idea feasible, as Milwaukee would not need multiple years to return to playoff contention. Doc Rivers’ role as head coach is also seen as a potential catalyst for a team boost.
Giannis, now 30, is reportedly open to reconsidering his long-term future with the Bucks, marking the first time in his career he’s “open-minded” about whether Milwaukee remains the best fit.
The two-time MVP is in the first year of a three-year, $175 million contract extension signed in October 2023. He averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 6.5 assists last season, shooting 60.1 percent from the field.
Milwaukee ended the 2024-25 season 48–34 and was eliminated in the first playoff round by the Indiana Pacers for the second straight year. Injuries, including Damian Lillard’s Achilles tear, heavily impacted the Bucks’ postseason.
Trading Khris Middleton to Washington during the season signaled a shift away from the veteran core. Despite winning the NBA Cup in December, the Bucks failed to claim the Central Division title for the first time since 2017–18.
The Bucks’ inconsistency included a rough 2–8 start, a six-game midseason win streak, and a 5th-place finish in the Eastern Conference. These factors have raised questions about whether the current roster can realistically contend.
With Giannis’s openness to other options, pressure mounts on GM Jon Horst to make decisions before the 2025-26 season. While no trade request has been made, teams may prepare offers if Milwaukee opts to rebuild.
Giannis has spent his entire 12-year NBA career with the Bucks, leading them to their first championship in 50 years during the 2020-21 season. His contract includes a player option for the 2027-28 season.
