Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo briefly discussed his future with the team in a recent interview, explaining that his plans largely depend on whether Milwaukee is willing to make the necessary moves to contend.
“There are a lot of rumors. Everyone has opinions. But at the end of the day, I will do what is best for my family,” Antetokounmpo said in an interview with Swedish outlet Aftonbladet, as relayed by CBS Sports’ Jack Maloney. “I do not see why I could not be in Milwaukee for several years. As long as Milwaukee and I are on the same page when it comes to being one of the best teams in the league and winning championships, that’s fine. When it changes, it will not be good.
“It’s easy, I want to be a winner. I do not care about the money. My family is fine and I can take care of my children and grandchildren so that’s not the most important thing right now, it’s winning. As long as we can win and create a winning culture, it will be good.”
Antetokounmpo is eligible to sign a five-year, $228MM super-max extension with the Bucks this offseason, but the Most Valuable Player could also opt to bypass the extension and test free agency next offseason. He’s coming off a campaign which saw him average a career-high 29.5 points, 13.6 rebounds and 5.6 assists in 30.4 minutes per game.
“I do not know what the plan is. It depends on what decisions they make,” Antetokounmpo continued. “If they make the right decision, I’ll be there for many years. If they do not, we’ll see. The NBA is business and we take it day by day. Hopefully we can succeed together.”
There’s more out of the Eastern Conference today:
- The Hawks are expected to be “aggressive but smart” in free agency, a source tells Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. Atlanta will seemingly prioritize the draft and adding more than one player in free agency, rather than spend for a star such as Fred VanVleet (unrestricted free agent) or Brandon Ingram (restricted free agent). “We’re not just going to pay a guy so we can look good on paper,” the source said.
- Chris Finch is finalizing a deal to join Nick Nurse‘s coaching staff with the Raptors as an assistant, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Finch has a storied history with Nurse, Wojnarowski notes, with the veteran coach most recently spending time in Denver and New Orleans.
- The Knicks are considering drafting Oregon’s Payton Pritchard with the No. 27 pick, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News tweets. Pritchard averaged 20.5 points, 5.5 assists and 36.6 minutes per game last season, shooting 47% from the floor and 42% from deep. New York also has the No. 8 and No. 38 selections in the draft, which is set to be held on November 18.
Que hwmvp talking trash about everyone except the rockets. Who will not win a title for a minimum 10 years.
I think dude is annoying too, but he’s living in your head rent free right now. Lol
calling out posters before theyre even in the thread is an embarrassing self-own and so many do it all the time lol
You all live in my heart for free, too.
Yeah I took it there.
Lol romance is alive and well on the world wide web. Hoops Rumors Dot Com.
Giannis to Warriors confirmed
So you’re admitting the current squad is not enough to win? Now you’re getting it…
I think you mean Curry to the Bucks confirmed
Strike Four: “Rockets fans are delusional”
Also Strike Four: “Giannis to Warriors confirmed”
See the hypocrisy here?
Knicks and Hawks are so uncompetitive, and has been so long.
Please sign and overpay free agents and make the playoffs. Please.
Im hoping that ATL doesn’t sign anyone, and they trade a future 2 for Thaddeus Young. Need to get his salary off the books. It was a pointless signing from the get go. $15M left 1 year.
Hmmm.
If it is not about the money, Giannis, then why not sign an extension now that leaves Milwaukee enough cap room to go after some talent?
I love when guys say it’s not about the money, that is a sure sign they are trying to convince themselves that it is not.
I have to change my tune on this, like Durant, he is signaling that barring a championship miracle (what have they done if not ‘win’ the last few years?), Giannis is heading elsewhere.
Only 1 team can win a championship each year, and dynasties are rare. Milwaukee has been in contention during most of his stay there, so I don’t know exactly what he means other than starting the narrative that gets him out of town. They have assembled the best team they can afford under current cap restrictions, especially if he wants to get the max.
What’s the best web site for Hoop rumors?
HoopsRumors.com
Ebay.com. You might have to search around for several days, but when you find them it will be worth it. Go start looking now.
I expected both Knicks and Hawks target the same players
Pat Connaughton (Milwaukee Bucks, UFA)
F Josh Jackson (Memphis Grizzlies, UFA)
F JaMychal Green (Los Angeles Clippers, Player Option)
G Malik Beasley (Minnesota Timberwolves, RFA)
C/F Christian Wood (Detroit Pistons, RFA)
F/C Harry Giles (Sacramento Kings, UFA)
If Giannis leaves, he will go to Dallas. He gets to ply with Luka and KP. That’s what I think is going to happen. I do think Carlisle being there and Cuban being a players owner helps the attraction of big names free agents.
Bucks will change the mind by trading him to get some assets.
Everything I’ve read sillivan says they don’t care about that too much. They’re going to let him play out the contract and roll the dice. But of course that’s why they’re the Milwaukee Bucks.
Bucks GM is average.
He is not comparable to Heat, Spurs, Clippers GM.
There is no way he is able to improve the roster significantly.
You have only one path “trade”
I don’t think you’ll get ENOUGH value for Giannis in a trade. Who can offer them so many future picks + young good players? A trade like OKC made doesn’t happen every offseason. Maybe Denver? Maybe he stays in the “east” and goes to Memphis? I wouldn’t rule out Boston either in terms of signing him next year. Heyward deal will be off the books and they already have established a winning culture and have young great talent.
I think if he goes anywhere, he goes to Chicago because of their large Greek community.
Only in 2K…even I know that’s never going to happen. But I see what you did there. Made me chuckle. So you’re saying by 2026 we’ll have a chance at Luka based on the Eastern European community we have here??? Sign me up…lol
It was sarcasm. I guess the tone didn’t come through there.
Or maybe it did, I should have read the entire reply before commenting again.
“I don’t care about the money”
AHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA
Oh, my sides.
I think he means he doesn’t care about the extra 40 million Milwaukee can offer he just wants to win
I get it.
Is anyone else uncomfortable with calling Fred VanVleet a “star?” The guy has only been a starter for one year and he was good, but not great. In my opinion, if FVV is a star, then there are about 75-100 stars in the league because that’s about where I would rank him and maybe not even top 100.
I totally agree with you. He’s like Eric Bledsoe with better P.R. What maybe the 12th best PG in the NBA?
And Bledsoe at least has a longer track record.
i agree 100%
Also agree
If I were Knicks, I will spend $44 million on VanVleet and Ibaka each year, but not Westbrook
The reasons
1. Knicks don’t give up any young players and picks.
2. Rockets don’t want any available trade products the Knicks have.
For 44, I would rather have Joe Harris and Davis Bertans, and probably some change.
Giannis singing a slightly different tune with the Swedish interview …….. it’s not the same soundbytes he gives the usual NBA beat writers.
It’s all but guaranteed that an overpaid, aging star will end up with the BUCKS this offseason.
@sillivan… u had a list of 6 players earlier and another 2 players now. thank god you not the GM, Wood is probably the only one the knicks would go after out of the 8 u listed smh.
What tunes?
Sorry, but “Hawks” & “smart” should never be in the same sentence unless separated by “are not very”. Seriously, this is the team that traded away a superstar that will be top 5 in MVP voting for the next 5+ years for a no defense playing guard that chucks up what seems like 50 shots a game & an overhyped prospect in Reddish.
Then again I’m a Sixers fan so I have no room to talk.
They didn’t trade away a superstar, they traded away a draft selection. Yes, Luka worked out, but he might not have. And it’s not like Trae Young is some bum. That trade was the very definition of a win-win trade.
Why would Atlanta even consider VanVleet. It means a 6’ backcourt. Yeah let’s really go smaller than Rockets. Why do you believe writers. Look at the teams. You can figure it out yourselves. VanVleet is only worth it for Toronto. Nobody is paying him big money. When next yr is biggest FA yr ever. Geeez
Only Sillyman eats up everything they write. And I mean everything in the internet universe.
Giannis is not leaving Bucks high and dry. It will be amicable if he leaves. And why do you care. Considering they could win it this yr. And then all of you will be asking Sillyman for advice. Bucks will make a trade to go for title. Cause if they don’t get to Finals this yr. Then they could be shopping Giannis. So you all should probably let the season play out.
I think Giannis here is angling for a trade so the Bucks pick up some nice pieces, he pulls a Kwahi for whoever he’s traded to, and then signs back with the Bucks for less then the max, because he doesn’t care about money and ultimately he’s loyal.
Blah blah cap room. George Hill + Brook Lopez will be like $20mil, and again, Giannis “doesn’t care about the money.”
Tbh, that level of homer-ism was exhausting. Idk how Harden Westbrook MVPs does it all day every day.
They let go of Brogdon, cuz they cheap. Now, they will have to overpay for CP3, cuz cheaps pay twice
“cuz cheaps pay twice” ✓
It would be cool to see them plug in Monte Morris or Alex Caruso or one of the draftees… assuming an upgrade at the 2 instead. There a lot of options