Giannis Antetokounmpo reportedly sat down over a three-hour lunch to discuss his future with the Milwaukee Bucks after his early Playoffs exit.
The Eastern Conference Finals matchup is set between the Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics. Both teams eliminated the favorites in the East, namely, the Raptors and the Bucks. However, it’s the exit of the latter that is leaving people scratching their heads.
The Milwaukee Bucks were early favorites to win the Eastern Conference Finals. Unfortunately, they met a stumbling block in the form of the ragtag team of the Miami Heat. As a result, his future with the Bucks hangs in the balance.
Giannis talks with the Bucks’ governor
There is no denying that Giannis Antetokounmpo is a generational player. His physique and basketball IQ are unparalleled. However, there are still obvious holes in his game that he can definitely work on.
Giannis is on the last year of his contract with the Bucks. The front office knows this and is reportedly committed to going all-in to give Antetokounmpo what he needs. The three-hour lunch discussion went into the topic of the luxury tax of the team. In other words, the Bucks are ready to bring another big fish to partner with Giannis for a championship run.
No other details about the meeting were disclosed. However, the two will meet again after Giannis’ vacation after the postseason.
Potential trade destination next season
The time of Giannis in the league is still long, considering he’s still just 25-years-old. Unfortunately, he’s on the hot seat to achieve even greater than just an MVP award. He’s set to become a rare back-to-back MVP winner this season. Again, unfortunately, that just puts more pressure on him to win a ring to his name.
In reality, there could be an easy way out of his tough situation. He could just ask for a trade to a contender and instantly contribute to an easy championship run. However, Giannis has committed that he will not ask for a trade in the offseason.
His statement could still change if the talks with the Bucks’ front office don’t yield positive results. If such a thing happens, Giannis has plenty of teams to choose from.
Topping the list is the Miami Heat, which sort of exposed Giannis’ weak points. The asking price of the Bucks will definitely be high, but the tandem of Jimmy Butler and Giannis will be a force to be reckoned with.
The Toronto Raptors are second in the list. The incumbent champions have enough assets to catch a big fish in the market. Pascal Siakam was also exposed in the Playoffs without Kawhi taking all the attention. Therefore, the Raptors could trade him away along with their role players to give Lowry and Gasol a final championship run.
Lastly, Giannis could request a trade to the Golden State Warriors. Early rumors indicate that the Warriors are potentially looking for a trade package for the MVP. If that happens, the resurgence of the Dub Nation in the West is inevitable.
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