Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo talks ‘have intensified in nature’

Tension is rising in Milwaukee, and Giannis Antetokounmpo’s long-term future with the Bucks is very much part of the conversation.

Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show, ESPN insider Shams Charania said Antetokounmpo and the Bucks have been in ongoing dialogue about whether the franchise can compete at the level he expects.

“Those conversations have only grown with every passing week and month since May,” Charania said. “And recently, the Bucks and Giannis’ conversations have intensified in nature.”

Charania described frustration at an “all-time high,” noting organizational tension and a locker room that feels increasingly uncertain. That backdrop made Antetokounmpo’s public criticism of the team’s “selfish” play after a blowout loss to the Thunder stand out even more.

“The tension that is in the air within that organization is at an all-time high,” Charania added. “There’s somewhat of a splintering environment.”

Milwaukee leadership reportedly met with Antetokounmpo in July to sell him on the roster’s championship potential. He was not fully convinced, and exploratory trade talks with the Knicks never materialized into anything real.

The Bucks are 18-25 and hanging around the play-in picture, but even with Antetokounmpo healthy, they have been closer to average than elite. Around the league, rival teams are quietly hoarding assets in case his situation ever shifts.