Giannis Antetokounmpo has stirred the pot this offseason with comments that left fans and front offices around the league buzzing about his future with the Milwaukee Bucks. Following the franchise’s decision to waive Damian Lillard, there’s growing speculation that the other superstar might be heading down a similar road.
The two-time MVP recently made an appearance on popular streamer iShowSpeed’s broadcast, and his seven-word message has ignited speculation. “Probably. We’ll see. I love Milwaukee,” Antetokounmpo said when asked whether he would remain with the Bucks next season.
While the answer wasn’t definitive, it was enough to raise eyebrows—especially considering past rumors suggesting the “Greek Freak” may be open to a change of scenery. According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, speaking on Get Up, several teams are keeping a close eye on Antetokounmpo’s evolving stance.
“The thing about it is, is he didn’t give a definitive answer,” Windhorst said, via Bleacher Report. “And I’m certainly not going to analyze something he said seaside in Greece, but what I will say is the ‘we’ll see,’ that is essentially what there’s about five or six NBA teams banking on—the ‘we’ll see’”.
Windhorst echoed sentiments previously shared by Shams Charania, who noted earlier this summer that Antetokounmpo may be more open-minded than in past years—when the idea of leaving Milwaukee seemed off the table.
“And I know it sounds trivial, but for years Giannis was completely locked in,” Windhorst added. “Him saying ‘we’ll see’ backs up what Shams has been saying this entire summer, which is that he might be more open-minded than he was in the past. And I would say the same thing, ‘Probably Milwaukee, but we’ll see.’ And now I can quote Giannis on that, thank you very much”.
According to The New York Post, a number of high-profile franchises—including the New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, and San Antonio Spurs—are keeping tabs on the situation, ready to make a move should Antetokounmpo become available.
Interestingly, the two-time NBA MVP acknowledged that fans have already started trying to sway his decision. “A lot of people have tried to convince me, try to convince me to go and play there [New York] and stuff,” Giannis told iShowSpeed during the stream.