It has not been a gangbusters start, at 1-4, for Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, who bungled their way through a mediocre finish and a playoff run that ended in the first round last year. Including the playoffs, the Bucks went just 19-23 after coach Doc Rivers replaced Adrian Griffin three months into the year.
Now, with the Bucks roster at a crossroads–age has slowed 34-year-old star guard Damian Lillard, as well as 36-year-old center Brook Lopez, the Nos. 2 and 3 options on the team–Milwaukee is on the clock to reshape the roster into a contender once again.
That’s because as part of the $186 million extension that Antetokounmpo signed in 2023, he has a player option for 2026-27, which means he is just a year removed from free agency. That’s typically when a team that does not think it can re-sign a star player will look to trade him.
So it is that uncertainty about the future of Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee is already bubbling up. And one of the long-rumored potential destinations for Antetokounmpo is making the rounds: the Miami Heat.