It was reported earlier this week that the Bucks will not be trading Giannis Antetokounmpo if he doesn’t sign an extension with the team soon, but now it appears that he might want out of Milwaukee.
Antetokounmpo recently unfollowed all of his Bucks teammates on Instagram, fueling speculation that he either wants to be traded or isn’t going to return to Milwaukee when his current contract expires.
After the Bucks’ 103-94 season-ending loss to the Miami Heat, Antetokounmpo essentially nixed any and all trade rumors by professing his commitment to Milwaukee and the future of the organization under general manager Jon Horst.
His recent unfollowing of his current teammates, however, could convey otherwise. It’s not clear what Antetokounmpo’s intentions are for the future, but his actions are going to cause some immense speculation until he addresses the matter.
The reigning MVP is eligible to sign a super-max extension with Milwaukee, which could be worth about $220 million. That’s around $80 million more than he could get from another team as a free agent after next season.
While Antetokounmpo’s commitment to the organization now in question, it probably won’t be an easy task to get him signed past 2021. If the Bucks and the four-time All-Star can’t work out a deal, they’ll have to trade him before next season’s trade deadline or risk losing him for nothing as an unrestricted free agent in 2021.
Erin Walsh is a Boston sports fan through and through. Although many think Boston sports fans are insufferable, Erin tries to see things from a neutral perspective. Her passion is hockey, and she believes defense wins championships. In addition to covering sports for Yardbarker, she covers Boston sports for NBC Sports Boston. Follow her on Twitter @ewalsh90
