Giannis Antetokounmpo Won’t Consider Extension With Bucks
Giannis Antetokounmpo Won’t Consider Extension With Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks have some decisions to make, will they remain a title contender or fall in love with the process of rebuilding their team for the future?
While they continue to contemplate their future, Giannis Antetokounmpo has made one thing clear: he’s only playing for the Bucks, and any team for that matter, if they are serious about winning a championship.
Antetokounmpo is not signing a three-year, $173 million extension this September. One of the main reasons being the ability to make more money in 2024.
“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.”
He added: “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.”
He becomes an official free agent in 2026, if he accepts his player option in 2025. This is assuming he doesn’t sign an extension in 2024.
Giannis has revealed he would like to be with Milwaukee for his entire career, and that his career last for 20 seasons. It just comes down to their seriousness and willingness of being a title contender; not just settling for average as a rebuild team.
Here is Giannis Antetokounmpo’s full answer on him not signing the extension:
“You’ve got to see the dynamics,” he said. “How the coach is going to be, how we’re going to be together. At the end of the day, I feel like all my teammates know and the organization knows that I want to win a championship. As long as we’re on the same page with that and you show me and we go together to win a championship, I’m all for it. The moment I feel like, oh, yeah, we’re trying to rebuild —”
The 28-year-old paused before he continued.
“There will never be hard feelings with the Milwaukee Bucks,” he said. “I believe that we’ve had 10 unbelievable years, and there’s no doubt I gave everything for the city of Milwaukee. Everything. Every single night, even when I’m hurt – I am a Milwaukee Buck. I bleed green. I know this.
“This is my team, and it’s going to forever be my team. I don’t forget people that were there for me and allowed me to be great and to showcase who I am to the world and gave me the platform. But we have to win another one.”
“But at the end of the day, being a winner, it’s over that goal,” he said. “Winning a championship comes first. I don’t want to be 20 years on the same team and don’t win another championship.”
Conclusion:
Giannis Antetokounmpo has made it very clear that he’s willing to stay with the Bucks, or any team, as long as they are title contenders.
He is hungry for another ring, he wants everyone to be on the same page before he re-signs with the organization.
To say this is a big year for both sides is an understatement. Both sides will be pondering on whether or not their partnership can coexist any longer due to their goals and ambitions for the future.
