ESPN expert predicts Giannis Antetokounmpo will sign his next contract somewhere else

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s contract situation has been a hot topic of conversation ever since his conversation with the New York Times, wherein he expressed his willingness to play somewhere else in the future if the franchise doesn’t show a commitment to sustained success in the next few years. Although the “Greek Freak” remains a loyal Buck, ESPN analyst Brian Windhorst predicts that when all is said and done, Giannis will be signing a new contract with another team.

Hard to keep it going

The league’s existing rules make it hard to build and sustain “super teams.” While this rule may have been implemented with big city franchises like the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors in mind, Windhorst said a small market team like Milwaukee may pay the ultimate price.

“If I had to predict, I would say probably elsewhere, and the reason is because the league is not designed to support one team contending at the highest level for this long. I would even go so far as to say that the Bucks, who are going to be in the top three, barring injuries this year, have bucked the trend,” Windhorst said.

Will Giannis Antetokounmpo sign his next contract with the Bucks or elsewhere?

"If I had to predict, I would say probably elsewhere"

-@WindhorstESPN pic.twitter.com/Yo1UZmGcEp
— BASKETBALL ON 𝕏 (@BASKETBALLonX) September 23, 2023

Giannis is signed to the Bucks until 2025 but is eligible to sign a three-year contract extension worth $169 million until October 23. If he waits until next year to commit to an extension, he could command a four-year deal worth $234 million.

Aging core

Giannis is just 28, but the rest of the core that has helped him raise the Bucks to elite status in the Association is getting up there in age and mileage. Khris Middleton is 32, Jrue Holiday is 33, while Brook Lopez—who arguably had the best season of his career last season—is already 35 years old.

Though all three remain highly effective, the probability of injuries increases with age, and the Bucks will want to avoid finding themselves in a situation where they have to rely on younger players who may not be up to the task.