Even if he won’t be eligible to enter free agency until the summer of 2021, there have already been a lot of rumors regarding Giannis Antetokounmpo and whether he will choose to re-sign with the Milwaukee Bucks or not. In a recent interview, the 2018-19 NBA MVP’s agent spoke out about the matter, shedding light on what could be his client’s thought process heading into the 2021 offseason.
Speaking to Milwaukee NBC affiliate TMJ4 , Antetokounmpo’s agent, Alex Saratsis, talked about the Bucks forward’s career since entering the NBA as the 15th overall pick in the 2013 draft, touching heavily on his rise from relative obscurity as a rookie to superstardom in more recent seasons. He also discussed Antetokounmpo’s status as a big star on a small-market team and hinted to the outlet’s Pete Zervakis that he just might turn out to be one of those rare NBA players who stays with one organization for his entire career. The agent, however, hinted that there’s also a chance his client might opt to play elsewhere if the Bucks don’t live up to expectations in the coming years.
“Obviously everybody talks about his impending free agency, and I think everything is open,” Saratsis continued. “I think he’s someone who could easily say, ‘I’d like to be in Milwaukee my entire career.’ I think he’s also someone who, depending on how the team does, could say, ‘I need a change.’ But for him, staying is absolutely a viable option.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo joins Wilt Chamberlain as the only players in @NBAHistory to record five straight games with 30+ PTS, 15+ REB, & 5+ AST! pic.twitter.com/ykWz4QBmEk
— NBA (@NBA) February 7, 2020
As further related by Saratsis, Antetokounmpo is not thinking about any free agency plans at this point in his career, as he would rather focus on winning a championship with the Bucks this season. Currently, Milwaukee has a healthy lead over the rest of the Eastern Conference, with their 46-8 win-loss record as of the All-Star break also giving them the best record in the entire NBA.
“Giannis believes in loyalty, he believes in the people who’ve been there with him from the beginning, and I think he feels that kinship to the city because they have really helped raise him,” Saratsis said.
Although his agent’s comments largely suggest that there’s a good chance Antetokounmpo will re-sign with Milwaukee in the summer of 2021, “The Greek Freak” has been linked to a number of rival teams in recent months, most notably the Golden State Warriors. In October, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith speculated that the 25-year-old forward might opt to join the Warriors if Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant makes a successful return from injury and teams up with Kyrie Irving to transform the Nets into an Eastern Conference powerhouse.
