Giannis Antetokounmpo has had a real argument to be the best basketball player in the world since 2019.
Since then, he has won a championship, NBA Finals MVP, two regular season MVPs, All Star Game MVP, made All-NBA First Team six times, and the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award.
As far as individual accomplishments go, “The Greek Freak’s” resume stacks up with some of the best players in the history of the game. However, it’s a team game and lately, the Milwaukee Bucks have not been performing at a high level during the last three post seasons.
Injuries have played a big role in halting another playoff Bucks playoff run, with Antetokounmpo missing two games against Miami in 2023, the whole series last year vs Indiana, and Damian Lillard was absent for two games after tearing his Achilles.
The Bucks front office has some massive decisions to make regarding the future of the franchise. Antetokounmpo is under contract for three more seasons, but has a player option next summer. Lillard is signed throughout the 2026-2027 NBA season and is likely to miss all of next year.
At this stage, improving the roster in a big way seems nearly impossible. There are only a few trade assets like Kyle Kuzma, Bobby Portis, and Pat Connaughton, leaving the Bucks with limited ability to significantly reshape their roster due to the modest value of these pieces.
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With roster improvements looking suspect and another early playoff exit, Antetokounmpo’s latest Instagram post has NBA fans speculating about his future.
Giannis on IG pic.twitter.com/nQjIVRAyQh
— BucksShowYo🦌 (@BucksShowYo) May 5, 2025
“He’s gone. Bucks have no trade assets and no control of their first round picks for 5 years,” one user wrote on X. “Giannis doesn’t want to waste any more of his prime years being average in MKE.”
One fan expressed that Antetokounmpo’s work in Milwaukee is done since he’s won a championship before. “He has won (trophy emoji) for Milwaukee, so he is leaving now.”
Another one asked “Is this a goodbye gesture?”
Social media posts like these are very common nowadays, it’s the era we’re in. Cryptic posts/messages and or unfollowing accounts could all be strategies to earn leverage from a players standpoint because the fans will always run with it.
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