Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo recently sat down for an honest, insightful interview with Tania Ganguli of The New York Times, which is worth reading in full for any NBA fan.
As Ganguli writes, the two-time MVP is eligible for a three-year extension in a few weeks, worth a projected $173MM. However, Antetokounmpo has no intention of inking a new deal before the 2023/24 season starts — as he notes, he could make more money if he waits until next offseason, but that certainly doesn’t sound like a lock, either.
“The real question’s not going to be this year — numbers wise it doesn’t make sense,” Antetokounmpo said. “But next year, next summer it would make more sense for both parties. Even then, I don’t know. … I would not be the best version of myself if I don’t know that everybody’s on the same page, everybody’s going for a championship, everybody’s going to sacrifice time away from their family like I do. And if I don’t feel that, I’m not signing.”
The 28-year-old is technically under contract through ’25/26, but that final season is a player option. He will make a guaranteed $94.4MM over the next two seasons, and could hit free agency in 2025.
Interestingly, Antetokounmpo says he considered walking away from basketball during the ’20/21 campaign. He had lost his joy for the game, according to Ganguli, but rediscovered it with the help of his older brother and teammate, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, as well as the assistance of a sports psychologist. The season culminated in Milwaukee’s second NBA championship, 50 years removed from the first.
“I think it’s the best feeling that I’ve felt so far in basketball,” Giannis told Ganguli.
In an ideal world, the seven-time All-NBA big man would like to spend his entire career with the Bucks. He has a goal of playing 20 seasons, and he’s halfway there.
“But at the end of the day, being a winner, it’s over that goal,” Antetokounmpo said. “Winning a championship comes first. I don’t want to be 20 years on the same team and don’t win another championship.”
He’s going to leave then
Sounds more serious than joel wanting out of Philly for some ambiguous reasons somehow tied to James harden and the knickerbockers never able to attract a star.
Nah he’s just trying to put pressure on the Bucks front office to not get complacent.
Everyone has to sacrifice..except Giannis with his salary. Or threaten to leave/retire.
yep. kinda hard to expect the guys on the staff making 60k to sacrifice as much as you, Giannis, when you’re making 60M.
Who’s making 60k in the NBA? The equipment manager makes more than that.
Leaving the door open for a move it seems
Wonder if they asked him about the cloning scandal…interesting stuff
Another reason why the New York Knicks have played their cards the right way to this point. A stockpile of young talent and draft picks.
Milwaukee now has their future with Giannis hinging on the performance of Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday.
Milwaukee knows the sense of urgency. This is why they have a new head coach.
Those 2 guys are there because Giannis wants them there. So if they don’t live up to his standard, he can look in the mirror when it’s time to point fingers.
but players don’t do that…..let me rephrase, the ultra rich don’t do that. nothing is ever their fault and blame falls on the lowest branch that receives the least light.
Read the article. You’ll see Giannis is not interested in playing in New York, as he has long maintained.
So his brother wasn’t on the team because of his on-the-floor talents? Hmmm.
Giannis will be a Raptor.
I wonder how much of this is posturing in order to get the owners to go further into the tax…
Or is the health of Middleton and Holiday that bug of a concern for Giannis…
Shouldn’t their age be a bigger concern? Gonna be hard to pivot to another contender as they age out while staying competitive in the short-term.
But you could be right, if he’s thinking more about the immediate future.
Any player serious about NBA championships will not waste their time on BS international tournaments in the summer. The Olympic gold may be the only exception as all of the rest are forgotten. Save yourself for the grind that is the NBA. Middleton did get the gold a couple of summers ago but has yet to return to his pre-Olympic self because of the injuries that followed.
Middleton not returning to his “Pre-Olympic” self is a great reason to not have your star players playing in stuff that is now close to meaningless. His not getting back to the player he was, could just cost them Giannis. Giannis knows that he has already more than paid his dues in Milwaukee. He is free to leave without a lot of flack.
Giannis and AD don’t fit together because of shooting. Lakers are always usually the choice in these situations. Knicks might be in best spot here if he becomes free.
They may be forgotten by you, but they may not be forgotten by the players themselves. And I’m sure they’re perfectly fine with you calling them BS. They don’t care, nor should they.
These “BS” international tournaments allow these players to represent their own country. You might think the NBA is the only important basketball league, but FIBA and the FIBA World Cup are far more recognised internationally. Europeans are proud to attempt to win something for their country – while in the NBA, they just compete for the city their in. It’s not BS.
Brogdon and J.Brown for Giannis… ^_^
Giannis is acting responsibly here. Seems obvious, but a player shouldn’t sign an extension for any period until he’s willing to give up the flexibility to move to another team during that period. There’s a (negotiated) system in place, and he’s playing within it.
Contrast the Lillard approach of signing any available extension for the $$/security and then demanding a trade when he realizes he doesn’t really want to bound by his side of it.
Saw some rumor that the Bucks may be interested in a Tucker reunion. Hope the Sixers make that happen. Knicks 24 2nd and Tucker for Allen.