The ongoing NBA regular season isn’t yet over, but Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is already the subject of renewed trade rumors amid the club’s reported desire to shut him down due to a left knee hyperextension.
For a piece published on Friday, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne spoke with Bucks co-owners Wes Edens and Jimmy Haslam about what’s bound to be the biggest NBA-related storyline of the summer.
“One of two things will happen” regarding future of Giannis Antetokounmpo?
“Giannis is going into the last year (of his contract),” Edens explained. “So one of two things will happen: Either he will be extended or he’ll be traded.”
Antetokounmpo is eligible to receive a four-year, $275M extension on Oct. 1. However, he could become an unrestricted free agent after next season if he declines his player option.
It certainly sounds like Edens wants outsiders to believe the Bucks won’t lose Antetokounmpo for nothing.
“The likelihood you’ll let him just kind of play out the last year, we can’t afford that,” Edens added about Antetokounmpo. “It’s not consistent with what’s good for the organization. That’s not a Giannis issue. That’s any player that’s in their last year.”
Not so fast on closing the Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo chapter
Shelburne noted that “all major decisions” made related to the Bucks’ roster “require consensus between the two rotating controlling owners and the third-largest shareholder, businessman Jamie Dinan.” According to Shelburne, the perception exists that Haslam has assumed more power as of late, so much so that an owner of a different team “had direct negotiations with Haslam rather than Edens about a potential deal for Antetokounmpo” ahead of the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline.
Executives from at least one team allegedly determined that the Bucks “didn’t want to move” Antetokounmpo during this season. It seems to be at least somewhat unclear if that stance will change by the time September comes to an end.
“There’s still another play,” one unnamed source close to the Bucks told Shelburne about the situation. “Put a maximum contract extension in front of Giannis — and dare him to turn it down.”
For what it’s worth, Haslam gave quarterback Deshaun Watson a fully guaranteed five-year, $230M contract to accept a trade from the Houston Texans to the Cleveland Browns in March 2022. That obviously has worked out poorly for the Browns, but it goes to show how far Haslam is willing to go to get what he wants.
In short, Haslam may need to be blown away by an offer for the Bucks to trade Antetokounmpo before October.
Comments are closed.