Giannis Antetokounmpoand theMilwaukee Buckswill meet in the coming week to discuss the future of the team and which direction the front office plans to take followinga first-round playoff lossto theIndiana Pacers. The Bucks contacted Antetokounmpo on Saturday to set up the meeting, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes. The conversation will be "very, very crucial," in Haynes' words, as the team will apparently explain to its star player whether the ambition is to pursue another NBA championship in the near future. Beginning a rebuilding process seems possible withDamian Lillardlikely to miss most, if not all, of next season after sustaininga torn left Achilles tendonduring the Bucks' playoff defeat. Adding new — and younger — talent to the roster won't be easy since Milwaukee doesn't have a first-round pick under its control until 2031. CenterBrook Lopezis 37 andBobby Portisis 30.Khris Middleton(33) was traded for the slightly youngerKyle Kuzma, but the eight-year veteran will turn 30 before next season. Kuzma also didn't make much of an impact upon joining the Bucks, highlighted by posting a box scorewith zero counting statsin Game 1 of Milwaukee's matchup with Indiana. That leaves the Bucks with little choice but to trade their most valuable asset to kickstart a rebuild. Antetokounmpo will turn 31 next season and would rather play for another NBA title rather than spend the remaining years of his career trying to help Milwaukee regain contender status in the Eastern Conference. Antetokounmpo is reportedlyopen to the idea of being tradedand possibly ending his NBA career with another team. He would attract major interest on the trade market and NBA observers have linked him to several playoff and championship contenders including theSan Antonio Spurs,Houston RocketsandGolden State Warriors. The two-time NBA MVP is under contract for three more years, including a player option for 2027-28, which would mean any team trading for Antetokounmpo would get him for a long-term pursuit of a championship. Adding to trade speculation will be Antetokounmpo's response to a question about his favorite NBA cities during an informal Saturday night Q&Ahe held with fans on X. Asked which cities make him happiest, he replied "Florida cities." He also said thatNew Yorkwas his favorite place to play on the road. Florida citieshttps://t.co/Ez2tMIzu1s — Giannis Antetokounmpo (@Giannis_An34)May 18, 2025 A trade to the Knicks seems unlikely considering the team already made several deals, getting them Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby during the past two seasons. New York may win an NBA title without Antetokounmpo, as it's set to begin the Eastern Conference Finals on Wednesday versus the Pacers. The Miami Heat have little to offer in a deal and if they were to trade stars like Tyler Herro or Bam Adebayo, the team wouldn't be in position to win a championship with Antetokounmpo. That applies to the Brooklyn Nets as well, though they have draft picks to offer. The Orlando Magic have a young core built around Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, but Milwaukee would almost certainly want one of those players in return, which probably makes any trade talks a non-starter. However, what seems increasingly clear is that something will happen with Antetokounmpo, and the Bucks could begin that process as early as after next week's meeting.
