There is always a fear among Milwaukee Bucks fans that they could lose Giannis Antetokounmpo.
That is because he is such a vital part of the team and his departure would be hugely damaging to its future.
Recently, Antetokounmpo worried fans with some statements about possibly leaving the team if it can’t bring him another championship.
We have heard rumors of Antetokounmpo leaving before but it’s different this time, according to Hardwood Paroxysm on Twitter.
The analyst said that in the past, a possible Antetokounmpo move was only about him wanting to play for a bigger market.
But this time, Antetokounmpo is “soft-launching some stuff, which is how this always goes.”
The first time we did the "Giannis is gonna leave!" thing, it was obnoxious because it wasn't based on anything but desires for big market moves. This is different. Giannis is soft-launching some stuff, which is how this *always* goes.
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) September 15, 2023
The “soft-launching” referred to is Antetokounmpo actually stating out loud that there is a possibility – no matter how slight – of him leaving the team.
Admitting that leaving is possible is more than Antetokounmpo has ever done before.
It is also a move that other NBA players have made in the past before eventually leaving their teams.
This is leading some to believe that the chance of him saying goodbye to the Bucks isn’t so small.
Of course, that puts the team’s front office in a very tricky spot.
They have time to convince Antetokounmpo to stay, but just how much time?
This all means that the next season is going to be very important.
If the Bucks again fall short in the playoffs, more and more people will be looking to Antetokounmpo and asking him about his future plans.
The team has received a new head coach and a few supporting players who can beef up the roster.
Is that going to be enough?
Or will Antetokounmpo continue to “soft-launch” a departure from the only team he’s ever played for?
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