Milwaukee Bucks

And now we wait.

With the Milwaukee Bucks eliminated from the NBA playoffs on Tuesday, what exactly is on the mind of Defensive Player of the Year and likely back-to-back Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo?

Is he committed to Milwaukee? Is he frustrated by the team's step backward from last year's Eastern Conference Finals appearance?

His first reaction upon losing was to reaffirm his commitment to the Bucks.

"It's not happening. That's not happening," Antetokounmpo told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports with regard to whether he'll demand a trade this offseason.

And that might be true, though the emotion of the moment also may have gotten the best of him.

Antetokounmpo is still under contract for the 2020-21 season at $27.5 million, but that's right about where Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis and Paul George were before they made it clear to their respective teams that they wanted to spurn supermax contracts and move on, each pushing for and receiving trades before they hit free agency.

Whenever the offseason starts, the Bucks can officially offer Antetokounmpo a supermax extension, which could be worth roughly $225-250 million over five seasons. The exact figure won't be finalized until the start of the 2021-22 season, but Milwaukee's offer will be about $85 million more than what any other franchise can pay.

That's too much money to turn down, provided Antotokounmpo intends to stay. If he means what he told Haynes, he'll accept the extension. 

But if he doesn't? The Bucks may be in trouble.

Does Antetokounmpo tell the team he needs more time but will consider signing an equal offer as a free agent in 2021? Can Milwaukee afford to be patient?

"If he doesn't sign the [supermax] this offseason, I think the Bucks have to look at exploring the trade market," one Eastern Conference executive said.

The franchise could wait for Antetokounmpo's decision, but that's how the Oklahoma City Thunder approached Kevin Durant, who ultimately chose to join the Golden State Warriors in 2016 free agency. The Bucks are in one of the NBA's smallest markets and are not a top-flight free-agent destination. They can't afford to let Antetokounmpo walk without getting significant value in return.

Multiple executives around the league echoed the sentiment, noting Antetokounmpo's future is entirely up to him. The Bucks have only so much say in what comes next.

"He could be on the Warriors in three months," a former Western Conference executive said.

The basic assumption, if he decides to leave, is that Antetokoumpo will want to play in one of the NBA's major markets on a contending team. That's why Golden State, with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, is an obvious fit (at least on paper).

The Warriors can offer the massive contract of Andrew Wiggins ($94.7 million over the next three years), along with the No. 2 pick in the 2020 NBA draft, a lightly protected future Minnesota Timberwolves first-rounder and Eric Paschall. Wiggins' contract is far from ideal, but the Bucks may feel compelled to make the best out of a bad situation. High picks can be extremely difficult to come by.

One former general manager views the Warriors as "the only leverage opportunity" for Milwaukee. 

"Time is on their side," he said. "They would get a huge deal."

The Eastern Conference executive floated the idea of flipping Green instead of Wiggins, but the former executive shot that down.

"They won't trade Green," he said.

The Brooklyn Nets are another big-market contender. They don't have nearly the same high-level picks as Golden State to offer, but they can try to package Caris LeVert and Spencer Dinwiddie with multiple draft picks (both No. 19 in this year's draft and future selections).

"That could happen," the former executive said.

The buzz around the league has the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat as the most likely free-agent destinations in 2021, but neither has an obvious path to trade for Antetokounmpo.

If Antetokounmpo is partial to playing with Pascal Siakam, he isn't going to green-light a trade to Toronto that includes Siakam in return. The Heat lack a significant number of draft picks to offer.

Antetokounmpo doesn't have a no-trade clause, but if he tells an inquiring team that he isn't interested in staying there long-term, that team is likely to drop out of negotiations with Milwaukee.

It isn't difficult to go through the league's 29 other teams to find packages that might make sense for the Bucks. Would the Phoenix Suns be willing to give up some of their young core, starting with Deandre Ayton?

The only question that matters is where Antetokounmpo wants to play for the prime of his career. If that isn't Phoenix, the Suns likely aren't making Ayton available for a one-year rental.

"The Bucks may find they only have one or two suitors," the Eastern Conference executive said. "That's what happened with the New Orleans Pelicans and [Davis]. He only wanted to go to the Lakers. They were the only team at the table."

The Bucks will understandably do whatever they can to entice Antetokoumpo to stay. With the Oklahoma City Thunder and head coach Billy Donovan parting ways, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, perhaps the Bucks make a run at acquiring Chris Paul via trade (with a package starting with Eric Bledsoe).

There are rival teams that believe Milwaukee will explore trading for Chris Paul -- complicated as that would be financially -- if Oklahoma City indeed makes CP3 available via trade. One more thing to track as the Bucks enter perhaps the most crucial offseason in team history ...

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) September 9, 2020

 

The sooner Milwaukee has clarity, the better. If the 2020 draft is a significant factor in an Antetokounmpo trade, the Bucks would need an early answer from him about whether he intends to sign the supermax extension.

A trade may not be financially feasible until the 2020-21 league year begins, but the Bucks can agree to a deal before the draft to be executed at a later date.

Milwaukee's time in the bubble has come to an end. As the NBA community eagerly awaits a champion, rival front offices have their eyes on what's next for Antetokounmpo and the Bucks.

               

Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter, @EricPincus.

It's fair to question whether the current iteration of the Milwaukee Bucks has reached its ceiling after it was eliminated in five games by the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Tuesday night despite being the top overall seed.   

It's also fair to question if superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, who will be eligible to sign a supermax contract extension this offseason but could also hit free agency in a year if he doesn't, might have a better chance of winning a title elsewhere. 

But the Greek Freak said in no uncertain terms Tuesday night that his future lies in Milwaukee and that he wouldn't try to push his way to a new destination this offseason. 

"It's not happening. That's not happening," he told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. "Some see a wall and go in [another direction]. I plow through it. We just have to get better as a team, individually and get right back at it next season."

That means one of two things: Either Antetokounmpo will sign a five-year supermax extension this offseason expected to be worth somewhere around $220 million (about $80 million more than a team in free agency could offer him a year from now, per ESPN's Tim Bontemps and Bobby Marks), or he'll bypass that payday and still hit free agency in a year. 

The latter option would give him the sort of leverage over Milwaukee's front office that LeBron James often utilized in Cleveland by signing shorter deals: Build a true title contender around me or I'll leave. 

And rumors are already swirling that the Bucks could make a play for Chris Paul, with the Oklahoma City Thunder likely transitioning into a rebuilding effort. 

There are rival teams that believe Milwaukee will explore trading for Chris Paul -- complicated as that would be financially -- if Oklahoma City indeed makes CP3 available via trade. One more thing to track as the Bucks enter perhaps the most crucial offseason in team history ...

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) September 9, 2020

I’m betting OKC has serious conversations on moving Chris Paul. The idea has been buzzing since the Thunder season ended.

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) September 9, 2020

With reduced league revenues amid pandemic, there remains uncertainty on how long the Thunder might continue with key veterans in place before changing course on playoff contention. The timetable on so many plans in the NBA remain fuzzy. This was an extremely amicable parting. https://t.co/jUHQ2kiuEo

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 9, 2020

A Greek Freak trade seems out of the question for both sides after Antetokounmpo's comments Tuesday. Even if he wanted out, Bontemps reported that "if Antetokounmpo passes on signing the supermax, multiple sources are adamant that the Bucks won't trade him. Milwaukee will have to persuade him to stay—and quickly."

Or maybe not. Maybe Antetokounmpo relishes the challenge of trying to win a title with the Bucks.

"If winning a championship was easy, everyone would have one," he told Haynes. "We lost. Everyone saw that we lost. It's disappointing, but what are we going to do? We're going to keep working. I've got confidence in my teammates."

General manager Jon Horst and the front office will hope he has that same confidence in them.

Milwaukee Bucks fans are assuredly upset after their team lost in the second round of the playoffs, but they can at least take solace in Giannis Antetokounmpo sounding like he wants to stay put for years to come.

"Hopefully we can build a culture in Milwaukee that for many years, we can come out and compete every single year for a championship," he said following Tuesday's series-clinching 103-94 loss to the Miami Heat in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

“Hopefully, we can build a culture in Milwaukee that for many years we can come out and compete every single year for a championship.”

Giannis after being eliminated in the playoffs https://t.co/DjWUnX6ySl

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 9, 2020

That comment was notable considering Antetokounmpo is currently set to become an unrestricted free agent following the 2020-21 season.

The reigning league MVP, who will likely take home the award again this season, exited Game 4 with an ankle injury and did not play in Game 5. While Khris Middleton spearheaded an impressive performance to stay alive in Game 4, Miami sent the Bucks home without their best player in Tuesday's contest.

It marked the second straight year that Milwaukee finished with the NBA's best record and came up short of the NBA Finals.

The Bucks lost to the eventual champion Toronto Raptors in last season's Eastern Conference Finals, blowing a 2-0 series lead. Antetokounmpo remained healthy in that series, but the Raptors flummoxed him and the offense as a whole by building a barrier around the rim and cutting off his penetration.

What Giannis does next will be one of the biggest storylines of the offseason.

The Bucks can offer him a supermax contract extension this offseason, and he would remain the face of the franchise for years to come if he signs it. However, he could leave Milwaukee next offseason if he opts to decline the extension.

ESPN's Tim Bontemps reported "multiple sources are adamant that the Bucks won't trade him" even if he doesn't sign the supermax.

That means trying to build a championship winner around him, which Milwaukee has not yet been able to do despite impressive showings in the regular season. The Bucks are thus entering a critical offseason for both their immediate championship prospects and their long-term future.

The end of the Milwaukee Bucks' playoff run has brought the end of Marvin Williams' career, too.

Williams, 34, announced his retirement Tuesday after the Miami Heat eliminated Milwaukee in five games:

Bucks forward Marvin Williams told @TheUndefeated he is retiring from playing in the NBA after 15 seasons. “I’ve been very blessed. God has been very, very good to me,” Williams said.

— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) September 9, 2020

The forward entered the league as the No. 2 overall pick of the Atlanta Hawks in 2005 out of UNC and spent time with the Utah Jazz and Charlotte Hornets before he signed with the Bucks in February. Williams averaged 10.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists for his career.

Bucks guard Kyle Korver, now a free agent, told Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated he is undecided on whether he'll return for his age-39 season.

Williams put together a solid NBA career despite not racking up numerous awards. He was named to the 2005-06 All-Rookie team but never wowed many voters.

That doesn't mean Williams didn't add a layer of depth and consistency on the floor. From 2007 to 2009, he averaged 14.0 points and 5.7 rebounds per game while shooting 45.2 percent from the floor in 34.3 minutes per game.

He also helped his teams make the playoffs seven times.

It's the type of experience that drew the Bucks to the forward as they geared up for a playoff run that ended too early for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Williams played 17.9 minutes per game in 10 postseason contests this season while averaging 5.5 points.

With Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo injured late in the series against Miami, there was little the Bucks could do to continue their push for an NBA title.

The Heat won Game 5 103-94, sending the Bucks home and Williams into the next phase of his life.

The Milwaukee Bucks' second-round exit against the Miami Heat cannot be classified as anything but a shocking disappointment even though Giannis Antetokounmpo missed some of the series because of an ankle injury.

Bucks fans looking for some type of silver lining might be able to turn their attention toward Chris Paul.

According to Marc Stein of the New York Times, some "rival teams" think the Bucks will "explore trading for Chris Paul" if the Oklahoma City Thunder elect to move the veteran point guard.

It may make sense for OKC to trade Paul, as it could facilitate a rebuild around young players such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luguentz Dort. Paul is owed more than $85 million over the next two seasons, which doesn't fit with a rebuilding team's timeline. 

As Stein pointed out, the Bucks may have trouble matching salaries in a Paul trade, but such a deal could indicate to Antetokounmpo how serious the team is about winning.

Giannis is set to become an unrestricted free agent following the 2020-21 campaign, and losing the franchise cornerstone to another team would be a brutal blow for the Bucks. He is only 25 years old and will likely win the league MVP for the second straight season.

As long as he is on the roster, Milwaukee's championship window is open.

Adding Paul would be a significant boost to that window in the immediate future, as the 10-time All-Star and eight-time All-NBA selection proved he can still battle with the league's best when he helped the Thunder push James Harden, Russell Westbrook and the Houston Rockets to seven games in a tightly contested first-round series.

Paul can shoot from the outside, attack the lane to create his own shots and facilitate while running the offense. His presence alone would make it far more difficult for opposing defenses to build a wall around the rim whenever Antetokounmpo has the ball in the playoffs.

It would be a drastic roster shakeup, but the upcoming offseason is monumentally important for the Bucks, as their future as a championship contender is hanging in the balance.

As the Milwaukee Bucks look to prolong their season Tuesday against the Miami Heat, they'll have to do so without presumptive MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported the star forward has been ruled out for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. 

The 25-year-old was limited to 11 minutes in the Bucks' Game 4 win because of a sprained ankle.

Giannis Antetokounmpo re-injured his ankle and after shooting two free throws, left the court. pic.twitter.com/CUNpWnrVKH

— ESPN (@espn) September 6, 2020

Things were looking bleak for Milwaukee when Giannis exited in the second quarter Sunday, but the team held on to prevail in overtime. For that to happen again, the Bucks will likely need another huge performance from Khris Middleton, who posted 36 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in Game 4.

Nobody will be under more pressure than head coach Mike Budenholzer, though. The Bucks have gone 116-39 in the regular season with him at the helm, but he has looked incapable of making necessary adjustments during the playoffs.

Budenholzer will have to draw up a game plan Tuesday that doesn't revolve around his best player, which won't be easy since the Bucks largely assembled their roster with Antetokounmpo in mind.

If the Bucks get bounced in Game 5, Antetokounmpo's absence might not be enough to buy Budenholzer another season in Milwaukee following what would be a bitterly disappointing end to the year.

A quick look at Giannis Antetokounmpo's production makes his impact on the floor clear. Milwaukee Bucks guard George Hill explained how his contributions go deeper than the raw numbers.

During Monday's media availability, Hill said Antetokounmpo was having an effect on Milwaukee's Game 4 victory over the Miami Heat despite missing the bulk of the contest with a sprained ankle:

"His competitive drive makes us all better. He's giving us everything he has. Even on one wheel, he's trying to give us all he's got. Crazy part like yesterday when he twists his ankle again for the second time and he's laying on the floor, and the competitive nature kicks in and we go over there and the first thing he said was, 'I should have dunked it.' That just shows, you know, he's trying to lay it all out in line for us, and we got to do the same for him. So we rally around that. He gives us that competitive drive, that competitive spirit. We just try to build off that."

Giannis congratulating the Bucks after the win in Game 4. pic.twitter.com/5XFphnXjgU

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 6, 2020

As much as Antetokounmpo can provide an emotional lift from the bench, the Bucks' best chance of survival comes with him actually playing.

Khris Middleton was excellent Sunday, finishing with 36 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Maybe he can do that again in Game 5 if Antetokounmpo's ankle injury is serious enough to keep him out, but that's putting a lot on his shoulders.

There's also the fact the Heat appear to have a clear edge in coaching. Whereas Erik Spoelstra is playoff-tested, Mike Budenholzer continues to be his own worst enemy in the postseason. You'd expect Spoelstra to have a counter for whatever a Giannis-less Bucks lineup might throw at the Heat.

No team has ever advanced from a 3-0 deficit in the NBA playoffs, so things aren't looking great for Milwaukee. Were Antetokounmpo to return for Game 5 and torch Miami, it would potentially be the emotional lift the Bucks need to ignite a historic comeback.

The reigning league MVP may take the floor with his team's season on the line Tuesday.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is questionable for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Miami Heat with his team facing a 3-1 deficit.

Charania said "there has been some optimism throughout Monday about his status going into Game 5" and noted Antetokounmpo is feeling much like he did before Sunday's Game 4.

While Giannis suited up for Game 4, he played only 11 minutes in the first half before falling to the ground in pain with a sprained ankle. He remained in the contest to shoot his free throws before limping off the court and exiting for good.

It was easy to assume at the moment that the Heat were going to complete the sweep.

After all, they beat the Bucks in three straight games when Antetokounmpo was on the floor, and they no longer had to worry about arguably the best player in the league taking over. Instead, Khris Middleton led an inspired effort with 36 points, eight rebounds and eight assists as Milwaukee won in overtime.

Heat star Jimmy Butler admitted Antetokounmpo's injury impacted his team's play as well.

"Well, it shouldn't affect ours, but I think that we relaxed a little bit," Butler told reporters. "And we stopped playing basketball the right way. We stopped guarding. We stopped living by our defensive principles. We weren't getting 50-50 balls. We were getting outrebounded. It was just all bad."

It's safe to assume Miami will not be relaxed for Game 5 considering the Giannis-less Bucks ended up winning the game without their best player. Whether he is available to play or not could be the deciding factor when both teams take the floor Tuesday.

Khris Middleton was fighting to save Milwaukee's season Sunday. But he was also fighting for his injured teammate Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Middleton's 36 points—including a crucial nine points in overtime—led the Bucks to a 118-115 win over the Miami Heat in Game 4, staving off a sweep. Every point was needed after the Greek Freak was lost for the game in the second quarter when he injured his sprained right ankle.

And Middleton said he wanted to have Antetokounmpo's back:

“He came out and tried to fight for us with a bad ankle. We wanted to have his back and just fight for him.”

- Khris Middleton on taking over in Game 4 after Giannis left with an ankle sprain https://t.co/mildIXQHrL

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 6, 2020

Middleton's clutch performance saved Milwaukee's season, but the question now will be whether the Greek Freak can make a return in Tuesday's Game 5. For now, his status for the next game is uncertain:

Bucks Coach Mike Budenholzer says there was no consideration of putting Giannis (sprained ankle) back in the game today. As for Game 5: “he’ll get treatment through the night. We’ll just how he does over the next 24-48 hours.”

— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) September 6, 2020

Giannis walked towards the bus wearing a protective boot on his right ankle.

— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) September 6, 2020

Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo won’t address media after leaving Game 4 win over Heat in second quarter with sprained right ankle

— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) September 6, 2020

Antetokounmpo pushed to return to the game in the second half, but the team reportedly overruled him:

After leaving Game 4, Giannis Antetokounmpo was encouraging the Bucks to tape up his right ankle and let him return -- but he couldn't plant or jump off the sprain, per sources. Around the Bucks, many didn't expect he could play today. No one dares rule him out yet for Game 5.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 6, 2020

Our NBA Insider @ShamsCharania reports live from the Bubble on Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo’s status moving forward after suffering a right ankle sprain. pic.twitter.com/2i3oUyKsSt

— Stadium (@Stadium) September 6, 2020

The Greek Freak was having an excellent game before the injury, with 19 points (8-of-10 from the field), four rebounds, a block and a steal. Despite playing just 11 minutes, he was Milwaukee's second-leading scorer in the game, and his absence for any future games would leave the Bucks—already facing a nearly insurmountable 3-1 deficit—in a very, very deep hole.

But Middleton isn't ready to write off the team just yet.

"We're a complete team," he said after the game. "He's the MVP, should be again this year. But we still have a hell of a team behind him. ... We're going to fight to win every night."

Khris Middleton scored a playoff career-high 36 points (including 30 in 2nd half/OT); 2nd player in Bucks history with 35 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists in a playoff game, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (2x) pic.twitter.com/gvu8POJAAt

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) September 6, 2020

It will take a few more epic performances from Middleton to save Milwaukee's season, with or without Antetokounmpo.

One down, three to go.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has been ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's Game 4 matchup against the Miami Heat after reinjuring his right ankle in the second quarter, with the team listing it as a right ankle sprain.

Antetokounmpo went down on an Andre Iguodala shooting foul and could not put weight on his right ankle. He eventually limped back on the court to shoot free throws so that he could potentially return to the game.

Giannis is down on the floor holding his ankle.

Hoping the reigning MVP is alright. pic.twitter.com/TyfLGN1oqy

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 6, 2020

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Antetokounmpo lobbied for the team to tape up his ankle and allow him to return to the court. However, he reportedly couldn't plant or push off with that ankle.

Wojnarowski noted Antetokounmpo has not been ruled out for Tuesday's Game 5.

"He'll get treatment through the night and we'll just see how he does in the next 24-48 hours," Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters after the game.

Of note, though, Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated reported Antetokounmpo left the arena wearing a protective boot.

Antetokounmpo had been limited by an ankle injury, which was called a sprain after the Game 3 loss to the Miami Heat. He was considered probable for Game 4.

The forward struggled mightily during the Bucks' third straight loss, shooting 7-of-21 from the field and 0-of-7 from three-point range. Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported he was "severely limping" after the game.

Despite the problems on the court and the apparent grimacing during the game, Giannis refused to blame the ankle.

"It wasn't bothering me at all," he said Friday night, per Matt Velazquez of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

The reigning MVP and 2019-20 Defensive Player of the Year helped carry the Bucks to the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference this season, averaging 29.5 points, 13.6 rebounds and 5.6 assists. He is a key part of everything the team does on both ends of the floor, and Milwaukee will be hard-pressed to replace his production and overall impact.

Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez and Eric Bledsoe can help pick up the slack, although inconsistency is a factor for all three.

Marvin Williams should also see significant playing time to help provide balance in the frontcourt.