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The Milwaukee Bucks were unstoppable during the regular season and held the best record in the league, entering the postseason. However, come playoff time, the team disappointed massively, fizzling out in the second round.
Since Milwaukee's untimely playoff exit, the team has been routinely mentioned in NBA trade rumors. Meanwhile, intense speculation continues to surround Giannis Antetokounmpo's future with the franchise
With rumors continuing to grow louder, NBA insiders Brian Windhorst and Tim MacMahon recently discussed the topic of the two-time reigning MVP's future.
NBA Trade Rumors: Giannis Antetokounmpo likely to re-sign with Milwaukee Bucks despite plans to reject supermax
In recent weeks, there have been several NBA trade rumors predicting that Giannis Antetokounmpo may not re-sign with the Milwaukee Bucks this off-season. Analysts believe that the Bucks' failure to emerge from the Eastern Conference could see the two-time MVP seek a move to another contender.
Speaking on the show 'Brian Windhorst and the Hoop Collective', Tim MacMahon, senior reporter for ESPN and guest for the episode, commented on the topic, saying:
"They have not had the kind of playoff success to make this an easy decision for him, but Giannis is on a legitimate contender right now"
While MacMahon made it clear that Giannis Antetokounmpo may be best served by refusing a contract extension at the moment, he also compared the reigning DPOY's situation to star players of the past, who have refused to extend their deals in order to change teams.
The examples of Paul George's OKC Thunder tenure and Anthony Davis' time with the NOLA Pelicans come to mind. However, as Macmahon points out, the Bucks are better than either of these teams were and remain contenders with Giannis Antetokounmpo on the roster.
MacMahon went on to imply that despite NBA trade rumors suggesting otherwise, Giannis' departure from Milwaukee is hardly set in stone. Nonetheless, the pressure on the Bucks to win next season's NBA title is immense.
NBA Trade Rumors: With Giannis Antetokounmpo set to reject the supermax, multiple teams will be in the hunt for the 2019-20 MVP
While the chance remains that Giannis Antetokounmpo will choose to stay with the Milwaukee Bucks this offseason, the fact that the player has decided to delay signing the extremely lucrative contract shows that the clock is ticking for the Bucks.
Speaking out about the player's contract situation on his show, 'Brian Windhorst and the Hoop Collective', Windhorst revealed:
"And that's the Bucks' problem. That he has limited incentive, other than harmony, to sign it now"
This startling reality is that the Milwaukee Bucks are aware of the NBA trade rumors linking the player to teams such as the Miami Heat and the Golden State Warriors next season. More importantly, the other teams in the league are monitoring the situation with interest.
Whatever Giannis Antetokoumpo's decision will be, it could cause the biggest ripples across the NBA in over a decade. With the NBA trade rumors on the player's interest to leave the Milwaukee Bucks increasing, the team's fans are in for a nail-biting finish to the offseason.
Also Read: 2018 NBA Draft: 5 mistakes that teams wish they could go back and change
Guess the Lakers players!
