The Bucks listened. They just never flinched.
According to Jamal Collier of ESPN, Milwaukee took calls on Giannis Antetokounmpo ahead of the trade deadline. Serious ones. Aggressive ones.
And then, ultimately, the Bucks decided they weren’t ready to walk away from the face of the franchise.
Not yet.
League sources told ESPN the Bucks never felt urgency to move Antetokounmpo, even as outside teams pushed hard and the situation grew tense.
Instead, Milwaukee plans to pause the big-picture conversations and revisit Giannis’ future in the offseason, when emotions cool and options become clearer.
As of today, the organization is still operating under the idea that the Antetokounmpo era can be salvaged.
That’s why Milwaukee pivoted quickly after pulling him out of trade talks, signing Cam Thomas and attempting to stabilize a roster that’s been uneven all season.
Antetokounmpo, sidelined by a calf injury, has appeared in just 30 games, but when he’s been on the floor, he’s still been Giannis. Twenty-eight points, 10 rebounds, nearly six assists per night.
The contract situation looms large. Antetokounmpo is making $54.1 million this season and holds a $62.8 million player option for 2027-28.
The Bucks can offer an extension this summer, which is where the real pressure point arrives.
Milwaukee won a title in 2021. Since then, it’s been three straight first-round exits. The margin for patience is thinner now.
Teams like the Heat, Timberwolves and Warriors pushed at the deadline. And per Marc Stein, the Lakers could loom as a serious offseason threat.
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