Giannis Antetokounmpo's offseason plans continue to come into sharper focus as NBA free agency opens on June 30th, with the two-time MVP wanting to give the Milwaukee Bucks an opportunity to shape their roster around him and return to championship contention. The Bucks haven't advanced out of the first round in any of the past three seasons and their lone playoff series win since their 2021 championship came against the Chicago Bulls in the first round of 2022 as they have dealt with inopportune injuries.
The Bucks face significant challenges in upgrading their roster due to limited assets, made more complex by navigating an extended absence from Damian Lillard. Despite these constraints, Antetokounmpo is expected to reach a firm resolution on either staying with Milwaukee or exploring other options later this summer.
"Giannis Antetokounmpo has been in Milwaukee for 12 years," NBA insider Shams Charania said on Thursday's episode of Get Up. "I reported during draft combine and lottery week that he was open-minded about seeing if there are better possible fits outside of Milwaukee. That is a due diligence process that he has undertaken—everyone around him has undertaken as well.
"But again, he's been there for 12 years, so there's a level of equity in seeing what can the Bucks do at the draft, what can they do during free agency, how can they improve the team?
The Greek Freak has made his intentions clear: he wants to compete for a second NBA championship. The Bucks face crucial roster decisions with key free agents including Bobby Portis, Brook Lopez, and Kevin Porter Jr.
"He's going to remain open-minded," Charania explained. "I don't think his future is necessarily tied to this week—to free agency week. It's going to be a process where you see how this team looks into July, well into July potentially, and then ultimately he will see how the Bucks look and how the chess pieces look across the league before reaching a resolution."
Antetokounmpo has two seasons remaining on his current contract with the Bucks, which gives them more leverage on a possible trade than they would have if they decide to wait until either the 2026 trade deadline or the 2026 offseason.
