Zach Lowe Gives The Latest Update On The Giannis Antetokounmpo Sweepstakes

When Giannis Antetokounmpo booed Bucks fans inside Fiserv Forum last week, trade chatter surrounding the two-time MVP once again picked up in earnest. Now, a new report offers insight into the approach that some teams are taking in the Greek Freak sweepstakes.

Appearing on “NBA on Prime,” insider Zach Lowe name-dropped five NBA teams that are keeping tabs on the Antetokounmpo situation in Milwaukee. According to Lowe, these teams are thinking along the same lines in terms of their scheme to acquire Antetokounmpo.

“The Hawks, Warriors, Lakers, Heat, maybe the Knicks are all thinking to themselves, 'Do we need to keep our stuff and wait for Giannis to become available now or in the summer, when the Bucks offer him an extension? If he doesn’t take that extension, that’s the same thing as basically demanding a trade,'” Lowe said.

Lowe added that these teams are keenly eyeing the Bucks’ win-loss record, which has been a major cause of frustration for Antetokounmpo this season. “If they slide any further down the standings, if they can’t even get up to 10th or 9th in the East, does Giannis push the button now instead of waiting till the summer?” he wondered out loud.

Currently, the Bucks sit at 17–24, which puts them in the No. 11 spot in the Eastern Conference. They have a ways to go before they can sneak past the Atlanta Hawks (20–24) and the Chicago Bulls (19–22) to enter the play-in scenario. Milwaukee, then, is in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time in 10 years.

Ironically, Antetokounmpo was just a rookie the last time the Bucks missed the playoff bus. Since Antetokounmpo joined the team, Milwaukee has reached the second round of the playoffs four times, getting to the Eastern Conference Finals on two occasions and ultimately winning the NBA title in 2021.

Having tasted the richest prize in the league, Antetokounmpo has undoubtedly set high standards for team success. These standards, however, appear to have been out of reach for quite some time, as the Bucks have exited the playoffs in the first round for three consecutive years. And now, they are on pace to not make the postseason at all.

In contrast, each of the teams mentioned by Lowe could put Antetokounmpo in a position to go on a deep playoff run, whether this season or within the next few years. The acquisition of Antetokounmpo, however, will have to be executed with proper timing and a satisfactory package of assets.