Giannis Open to Moving On, But What do The Odds Say?

• Giannis Antetokounmpo has led the Milwaukee Bucks to success in his 12 NBA seasons, as the Bucks have made the playoffs in ten of those seasons.
• Antetokounmpo is a two-time MVP, and the Bucks won the NBA championship in 2021.
• For the first time, Antetokounmpo has shown an interest in leaving the Bucks, who have lost in the first round for three straight years.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks have had a fruitful 12-year relationship in the NBA. Antetokounmpo has won a pair of MVP awards, while the Bucks won the NBA title in 2021.

But that pairing might be coming to an end. It is reported that Antetokounmpo is looking at options outside of Milwaukee for the first time, and he’ll have plenty of suitors this summer.  

Antetokounmpo is the Biggest Domino on the Board This NBA Off-Season

The news was reported by ESPN Insider Shams Charania on Monday morning.

It should be noted that Antetokounmpo hasn’t officially made a decision. However, this is the first time that he is ready to explore opportunities outside of Milwaukee since the Bucks drafted him with the 15^th pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. The Bucks took a chance on Antetokounmpo, who played in the Greek second division at the time.

Antetokounmpo has rewarded the Bucks, and then some. He won the Most Improved Player in 2017, and has since won two MVPs in 2019 and 2020. He led the Bucks to the NBA title in 2021 when Antetokounmpo was the Finals MVP.

But the Bucks have dismantled that title-winning team. Head coach Mike Budenholzer is gone, as is Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday. The Bucks traded Holiday to Portland for Damian Lillard, but it hasn’t worked out for either side. Lillard will likely miss all of the next season with a torn Achilles.

Teams will line up to speak to Milwaukee about Antetokounmpo, who will speak to the Bucks’ front office this summer. But he is, by far, the biggest piece on the chessboard going into this offseason.

Who are the Odds Favoring to Land Antetokounmpo?

The Giannis next team odds will likely move in the next day or two after this report. Brooklyn and Houston are favored, as will Oklahoma City. All of these teams have players and draft picks to offer the Bucks, who are probably looking closer at the picks as they aim to rebuild. Without Antetokounmpo and Lillard on the injured list, the Bucks’ NBA Championship odds will be almost non-existent. Therefore, their best bet is to blow it up and start fresh.

But teams will be falling over themselves to put together an attractive package for Antetokounmpo, who doesn’t turn 31 until December. He is coming off a season in which Antetokounmpo was second in points with 30.4, sixth in rebounds with 11.9, and tied a career-high with 6.5 assists. He has been in the top four in MVP voting in each of the last six years, and is a finalist for this season’s MVP, alongside Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Denver’s Nikola Jokić.

If Antetokounmpo actually says he’s ready to leave, the Bucks should be able to get a massive haul in return. Once that decision is made, the rest of the pieces will fall into place in the NBA.