Giannis Antetokounmpo was widely expected to reassess his long-term future with the Milwaukee Bucks following the team’s offseason moves, particularly if they failed to demonstrate a clear commitment to staying competitive in the Eastern Conference.
However, after the Bucks made a surprising and bold move to sign Myles Turner in free agency, optimism has grown around Antetokounmpo remaining with Milwaukee heading into the season.
Antetokounmpo, who was reportedly involved in the efforts to recruit Turner, appears encouraged by the Bucks’ proactive approach.
The team had to make significant financial adjustments, most notably, waiving and stretching Damian Lillard, to create the flexibility to sign Turner to a four-year, $107 million deal.
“If you’re a team out there like maybe the Spurs or the Knicks or the Heat who were maybe saving up their assets to try to make some sort of Giannis Antetokounmpo run if the Bucks weren’t able to have an impactful free agency, you have to reevaluate how you’re now operating over the next few days as well,” said ESPN’s Brian Windhorst on First Take.
“I would have to assume this significantly lowers the chances of Giannis Antetokounmpo becoming available anytime soon.”
Antetokounmpo remains under contract for at least the next two seasons, but his future had been a point of speculation, particularly after the Bucks’ disappointing finish last season.
With Milwaukee reshaping its supporting cast, Giannis enters a new phase of his tenure, now surrounded by a fresh core that includes Myles Turner, Kyle Kuzma, Gary Trent Jr., and Kevin Porter Jr. – a marked shift from the title-winning group of Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday, and Brook Lopez, and the recent pairing with Lillard.
“Giannis, I believe, is looking for reasons to stay in Milwaukee,” Windhorst continued. “That’s one of the reasons he has stepped back and let them go through their process.
“If Giannis was looking for a reason to stay in Milwaukee, this was enough of a reason to be excited about coming back.”
Windhorst added a colorful analogy to describe Milwaukee’s aggressive approach: “This is mortgaging your mortgage to buy a sports car. I guess if you get the girl, which is Giannis in this case, maybe it’s worth it?”
Ultimately, Milwaukee’s high-risk, high-reward gamble appears to have paid off in the short term by keeping their franchise cornerstone aligned with the team – at least for now.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Now Considered Less Likely To Become Available https://t.co/bkVN6xtarb
— RealGM (@RealGM) July 1, 2025
