According to The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie, rival teams around the league believe the Milwaukee Bucks haven’t given up on Giannis Antetokounmpo and want to keep him.

With news of Antetokounmpo being open to going to a new team and teams like the Brooklyn Nets wanting to go all-in for him, this could become a likely scenario where the NBA champion takes his talents somewhere else for the betterment of his career.

For Milwaukee, they have limited draft capital that won’t allow them to have a prosperous future – if solely relied upon. In addition to that, with Damian Lillard being out next season due to a torn Achilles and the Kyle Kuzma trade being a failure, Giannis would be the only thing keeping them relevant enough to compete in an ever-growing Eastern Conference.

On the flipside of keeping him, per numerous reports and breakdowns, if general manager Jon Horst were to trade Antetokounmpo, then they could recoup some of their draft capital and get a solid player or two back in a trade to keep them Play-In (or better) bound.

It’s expected Antetokounmpo and his representatives will meet with the franchise soon to discuss their relationship, the future, if they are entering a rebuild period, and if Giannis wants to stick around.

Next season, the 30-year-old will have his new extension kick into action. In the first year, Antetokounmpo will be making $54.1 million. His second year will see him making $58.4 million, with his third year making him $62.7 million. The third year is a player option.

The overall contract is a three-year, $175.3 million extension. This will be the first time in his career where he’ll be making at least $50 million a season.

According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the entire upcoming NBA offseason will be predicated upon Giannis Antetokounmpo’s decision to either remain with the Milwaukee Bucks or request a trade.

Following the Bucks up-and-down season, their increasingly failing postseason run, and the recent Damian Lillard injury news, there has been an spike in speculation and reports surrounding Antetokounmpo’s future with the Bucks.

Despite him signing an extension with the organization after acquiring Lillard, his future with the Bucks is up in the air. Many are saying Milwaukee’s championship window is officially closing or closed, with no signs of them being able to reopen it.

Giannis has said repeatedly, publicly, that he wants to compete for another championship. He has always stressed the importance of remaining competitive.

“The question for the whole NBA is ‘what does Giannis do about it?'” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on NBA Today. “Does Giannis indicate to the team he wants to stay put and remain a Buck going forward. Or does Giannis indicate he may want to look around? If the answer is B, the entire NBA offseason will hinge on it.”

With Brook Lopez being 37 years old, Lillard being 34 years old (with a recently torn Achilles), no control over their own picks, and not many young players to build around Giannis, the “Greek Freak” superstar may not see the Bucks as a destination to win anymore.

Some reports have disclosed either the Brooklyn Nets or New York Knicks as a team where he would want to join.

In the 2024-25 season, the 30-year-old averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 6.5 assists in 67 appearances.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, confirmed by the Milwaukee Bucks, Damian Lillard has been diagnosed with a torn Achilles. An injury he suffered Sunday night in the first quarter against the Indiana Pacers.

This was an non-contact injury, which looked brutal from the very beginning. Lillard needed assistance to the locker room and would be ruled out for the remainder of the game; Chris Haynes was the first to report it.

During the 2023-24 postseason, the 34-year-old was dealing with an Achilles issue that forced him to miss the end of Milwaukee’s playoff run.

Per medical professionals, the typical recovery timeline for an Achilles tear is at least 12 months. There is significant speculation of him missing the entire 2025-26 season.

In this season, Lillard averaged 24.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 7.1 assists.

Before making his return to the court for their first round matchup against Indiana, Lillard was dealing with deep vein thrombosis – an injury that took him out for some time.

Next season, Lillard will be making $54.1 million. The following season, 2026-27, he will have a $58 million player option. If he opts in, then the veteran won’t be an unrestricted free agent until the age of 37.