The 2022-2023 season should have been the revenge of the Milwaukee Bucks. Their 2022 Championship defense was cut short when Khris Middleton was injured in the first round against the Championship Chicago Bulls. A season already dampened by Brook Lopez missing all but thirteen regular season games. Giannis Antetokounmpo put in a huge effort against the Boston Celtics in the second round, but the Bucks fell in seven games.
Their revenge tour started shakily, but the regular season ended with the Bucks having the best record. However, the first round was another damage to their health. Antetokounmpo suffered a back injury in one of them ridiculous load plays when the defender is actually undermining the attacking player to try to make an attacking foul. He returned to the floor for Games 3–5, but he did not play well and the Bucks lost in five games.
Antetokounmpo has three years left on his current deal with the Bucks, and he will earn more than $60 million annually. Will that money come from the Bucks, or somewhere else, like… participation, Pat Riley, and the Miami heat?
He recently appeared on the Bleav network 48 minutes podcast. When asked if he sees himself staying with the Bucks for his entire career, he made it clear that will only happen if the team remains championship-caliber.
“If the Milwaukee Bucks stay the same for the rest of my career, that’s great. Otherwise I have to win Antetokounmpo said on the podcast. “I have to win, and I think the city and the people will understand. Because I’m one of the most competitive guys, and I gave everything I could for the city of Milwaukee.
“I’m a Milwaukee Buck, but most importantly, I’m a winner. I want to win. I have to do whatever it takes to win, and if there is a better situation to win the Larry O’Brien, I have to take that better situation.
Haslem family, the message has been sent. Jimmy and Dee purchased former co-owner Marc Lasry’s share of the franchise for $3.5 million in the spring of 2023. Cleveland Browns’ The principal owners will join Wes Eden as they look to maintain a competitive roster around one of the greatest players in franchise history. This new partnership acted quickly to fire Mike Budenholzer, head coach of the 2021 NBA champions, after being drafted in the first round last season.
Antetokounmpo said in the interview that his position hasn’t changed during his career with the Bucks. He also said early in the show that this was his first podcast interview, so perhaps this is the first time he’s explained himself in a lengthy setting – and not in his native language.
However, his intentions seemed to have been made crystal clear. The relationship between him and the Bucks is good, but he will be 31 years old when his current contract expires. He certainly won’t want to be part of a fixer-upper in the future.
As arguably the best player in the league, Antetokounmpo utilizes the LeBron James playbook by keeping the pressure on management at all times. He doesn’t make James’ money off the floor, so he probably won’t apply the pressure of signing one, and one contract for the rest of his career.
Instead, Antetokounmpo has made his parameters clear. This team will continue to be good, or he’ll be gone. Regardless of his definition of “failure” after the 2023 first-round loss, he no longer wants to be any part of that finish.