Latest Giannis Antetokounmpo Update Offers Grim Outlook For Bucks Future

After the Milwaukee Bucks were eliminated from the postseason in five games by the Indiana Pacers, specualtion started about the future of the team. With star guard Damian Lillard suffering a torn Achilles in Game 4 of the series, his status for next season remains very much up in the air.

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Many believe that Lillard will miss the majority of the season, putting the contention status of Milwaukee into question. This now has a lot of people around NBA circles wondering what the future holds for Bucks star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.

There is a lot of speculation that Antetokounmpo could be traded this summer, with the Bucks going into rebuilding mode. But the latest update on the Bucks star could signal something else, even if it may be a grim outlook for the franchise.

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NBA insider Marc Stein talked about this on the ALL NBA Podcast, discussing the future of the star. Stein said that unless Antetokounmpo pushes a trade, it's unlikely that Milwaukee will consider moving him.

"I don’t think Giannis himself does not want to go to the Bucks and say ‘trade me’. But next year there’s no way with Damian Lillard carrying a salary of nearly 60 million they don’t have control of their own first round pick till 2031, they don’t have a pathway to build a contender around him at this point. But the rumbles that you always hear are that just having Giannis is so important to them financially. They’re not going to trade him unless he pushes it."

The issue with this is that Stein, like many others, mentioned that with the current state of the Bucks, they are far from title contention. This could force Antetokounmpo to consider his options, leaving the door open for him to exit Milwaukee.

It remains to be seen what Antetokounmpo or the Bucks will do, but the future of the partnership remains in question. If the star sees the Bucks as a title contender, he will stay, but if he doesn't, Milwaukee may need to brace for him leaving the team.

More Bucks news:

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Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo Looking to LeBron James For Inspiration Entering Offseason

For more news and notes about the Milwaukee Bucks, head on over to Milwaukee Bucks on SI.