Milwaukee Bucks power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is going to be an unrestricted free agent after this season. Teams will be trying to lure the reigning league MVP away from Milwaukee, but should he leave the Bucks?
In short: no he shouldn’t.
He has said that he wants to stay with the Bucks as long as they are winning. The Bucks have a 46-8 record, which is the best record in the NBA. It would be less than ideal for him to go to another team.
“I can’t think that far ahead,” Antetokounmpo told USA Today. “You know, I’m just trying to focus in the moment and get better. But why not? I’m a guy that wants to be with a team for a while, but, as long as we’re winning. And we’re winning so far, so I don’t think anything is going to change.”
New father @Giannis_An34 sat down with our @mackenziesalmon to discuss his sleepless nights and MVP-like first half.
And, of course, his future in the "good land" of Milwaukee. pic.twitter.com/8EJQGG9PlF
— USA TODAY Sports (@usatodaysports) February 16, 2020
Executives around the league believe that Antetokounmpo will stay will the Bucks since they are the favorites to reach the NBA Finals, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN. The Bucks are the third most efficient scoring team on offense (113.3 points per 100 possessions) and have the best defensive efficiency rating in the league (101.7). Entering the All-Star break the Bucks had a 54 percent chance of winning the NBA title this season, according to Basketball Reference’s playoff probabilities report. The 54 percent chance is more than triple that of the Los Angeles Lakers chances at an NBA title this season.
If he signs a five-year supermax extension with the Bucks, they will be championship contenders every year.
This season, the 25-year-old is having another great year. He is averaging 30 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 5.8 assists. He is a strong candidate to be the NBA’s MVP this season. Basketball Reference’s NBA MVP tracker has Antetokounmpo be named the league’s MVP this season. He has a 58 percent chance of being named the league’s MVP while James Harden is second at 12 percent.
While he wants to stay with the Bucks, there could be something that lures him out Milwaukee. He would love to be on the same team with his brothers so they could play together. The Bucks have signed one brother, Thanasis, while the Lakers have signed the other, Kostas. If the Lakers or another team want all three brothers, then the 25-year-old might be tempted to leave the Bucks.
“I think that would be amazing. Obviously, we’d spend more time together, and I’m 100 percent sure my mom would love that. But if we could team up on a team – Milwaukee, L.A., wherever – that’d be awesome.”
Of course Giannis would love to team up with his brothers. That's no surprise. But in Milwaukee….or L.A.?!?! pic.twitter.com/07YLE1R2di
— USA TODAY Sports (@usatodaysports) February 17, 2020
The perennial MVP candidate needs to stay with the Bucks no matter if any of his brothers are on the same team as he is. Without Antetokounmpo, the Bucks won’t be contending for a title year in and year out.
