Milwaukee Bucks

To the surprise of absolutely no one, Milwaukee Bucks owner Wes Edens wants Giannis Antetokounmpo around long term.

Edens told TMZ Sports over the weekend he wants the reigning NBA MVP to stay with the Bucks for the remainder of his career.

"He's a special basketball player, obviously, but he's an even more special person," Edens said. "What you see is what you get. He's an amazing guy, he's amazing to the organization, he's amazing to his family. He's really an incredible character. Obviously, we want to be a part of his life for the rest of his basketball career."

Antetokounmpo has consistently maintained he wants to stay in Milwaukee, the team that plucked him out of relative obscurity in 2013 and watched him blossom into one of the game's best players. He's cited other legends who have stayed with their original teams their entire careers as a goal.

Antetokounmpo told Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN:

"My goal is going to stay the same: It's get better, take it day by day, step by step, and the ultimate goal is to win a championship. As long as that we are all on the same page and we are all focused on that goal, why not play for the Bucks 20 years, why not play 25 years? Why not, after playing, be a member of the coaching staff or a member of the front office? But we got to have the same goal. We got to have the same principles. ... We got to focus on winning a championship.

"I want to be a part of a winning team. As long as we have the same mindset and same approach to the game, there's no reason for me to move and not be like Steph [Curry], not like be like Dirk [Nowitzki] or Kobe [Bryant] or Tim Duncan."

Naturally, those comments and others have not stopped speculation that Antetokounmpo could eventually leave Milwaukee. Things change fast in the NBA; there was a time Kevin Durant wanted to spend his entire career in Oklahoma City.

ESPN's Ramona Shelburne said last week on The Jump the Golden State Warriors could pursue Giannis if he becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2021. That would require a massive overhaul of their current roster given the salaries they have on deck, and it could include jettisoning both Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. For that reason—and a number of others, including the different age trajectories of Curry (31) and Giannis (24)—it seems unlikely.

That said, major markets are going to come calling in a couple of years, and the Bucks need to stay at the top of the Eastern Conference if they hope to keep Giannis around.

The Milwaukee Bucks hope to keep reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo for years to come, and despite a recent report, they are not losing sleep over the Golden State Warriors potentially swooping in at some point in the future.

A Bucks front-office source told Heavy.com's Sean Deveney that the team believes the Warriors rumors may just be hype, not anything with substance:

"Keeping Giannis, it's a focus obviously. But fighting the Warriors is not a focus. The Warriors are not the concern in the least. They'd have a long way to go to get him to Golden State, they'd have to give away a lot. He has never given any indication that he wants to leave Milwaukee. So a lot of that stuff, it is more chatter than anything."

Ramona Shelburne of ESPN recently reported the Warriors are a "big threat" to land the Greek Freak should he hit free agency in 2021:

Shelburne noted that it would be a "difficult construction" for Golden State to make happen. However, she pointed out Antetokounmpo has a good relationship with Warriors star Stephen Curry and the two MVPs share the same agency.

Antetokounmpo has two years and $53.3 million remaining on his contract. Milwaukee is not able to negotiate with the three-time All-Star, but general manager Jon Horst recently made it clear the team intends to put a supermax extension on the table next summer when the league rules permit.

"What is the situation with Giannis' long-term contract?"

Jon Horst answers: pic.twitter.com/a6O4uAaoIE

— FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin (@FanDuelSN_WI) September 13, 2019

The supermax is estimated to be worth $247 million over five years. Milwaukee can offer more money and more years than any other team after having drafted him in 2013.

Golden State, meanwhile, has four players on max contracts. Curry signed a five-year, $201 million deal in June 2017, while Klay Thompson (five years and $190 million), D'Angelo Russell (four years and $117 million) and Draymond Green (four years and $100 million) all signed nine-figure deals with the team this offseason.

All of those contracts run beyond 2021, when Antetokounmpo is scheduled to hit the open market.

The good news for the Bucks is that their 24-year-old star has already declared his desire to spend his entire career in Milwaukee. 

Antetokounmpo told ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk in July:

"My goal is going to stay the same: It's get better, take it day by day, step by step, and the ultimate goal is to win a championship. As long as that we are all on the same page and we are all focused on that goal, why not play for the Bucks 20 years, why not play 25 years? Why not, after playing, be a member of the coaching staff or a member of the front office? But we got to have the same goal. We got to have the same principles. ... We got to focus on winning a championship.

"I want to be a part of a winning team. As long as we have the same mindset and same approach to the game, there's no reason for me to move and not be like Steph [Curry], not like be like Dirk [Nowitzki] or Kobe [Bryant] or Tim Duncan."

Milwaukee appears to be in good shape to keep the Greek Freak after finishing with an NBA-best 60 wins and reaching the Eastern Conference Finals last season. It's worth remembering, though, that Golden State managed to sway Kevin Durant away from the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2016 despite OKC coming within one game of the NBA Finals that year.

The Golden State Warriors were unable to re-sign Kevin Durant this offseason. Another MVP could be headed to the Bay Area in due time, however.

ESPN's Ramona Shelburne reported Monday on The Jump that the Warriors "have always been the big threat" to sign Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo when he becomes a free agent in 2021.

Shelburne acknowledged the difficulties Golden State will have if it makes a genuine pursuit. The team is projected to have the third-biggest payroll ($156.7 million) in 2021-22, per Spotrac. Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported the NBA is expecting a $125 million salary cap and $151 million luxury tax that season.

In order for the Warriors to sign Antetokounmpo, he'd either have to take a contract well below market value, or the team would need to trade Klay Thompson ($38 million salary), D'Angelo Russell ($30 million) or Draymond Green ($24 million).

There's also the question about whether Giannis would want to join the Warriors. In an interview with Bleacher Report's Howard Beck last December, he didn't think playing on a superteam was a requirement to contend for a title:

"You don't have to have a lot of [stars]. I definitely think that, because I think we have great pieces in this team, and every guy in this team knows what his role is and is having fun and is enjoying his role. And that comes from the coach. You know, if the coach gives you confidence, gives you the green light and tells you what your role is and you accept it as a player, and you're happy with it, that's big for every team. I don't think anybody on this team wants to do more, wants to do less."

His opinion could change if the Bucks fall short of an NBA Finals appearance in either of the next two years.

Comments Durant gave to WSJ. Magazine's J.R. Moehringer could also be instructive for stars that might consider signing with the Warriors.

"As time went on, I started to realize I'm just different from the rest of the guys," the 10-time All-Star said. "It's not a bad thing. Just my circumstances and how I came up in the league. And on top of that, the media always looked at it like KD and the Warriors. So it's like nobody could get a full acceptance of me there."

Spurning Golden State to sign with the Brooklyn Nets felt like a concerted effort by Durant to reshape the narrative on this portion of his career.

Antetokounmpo is eligible for a supermax extension in 2020, with ESPN's Bobby Marks projecting the 24-year-old can earn $247 million over five years. Bucks general manager Jon Horst confirmed the obvious when he said last week at a team town hall event that Milwaukee will offer the supermax at its earliest opportunity.

The idea of Durant leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Warriors once seemed unthinkable until it happened.

Should Antetokounmpo turn down the Bucks' supermax, all bets could be off regarding his next move.

Milwaukee Bucks general manager Jon Horst said Thursday the front office will "of course" offer reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo a supermax contract extension when eligible in 2020.

Horst provided the update during a Bucks Town Hall event with fans:

"What is the situation with Giannis' long-term contract?"

Jon Horst answers: pic.twitter.com/a6O4uAaoIE

— FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin (@FanDuelSN_WI) September 13, 2019

It's a no-brainer for Milwaukee.

Antetokounmpo averaged 27.7 points, 12.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.3 steals across 72 appearances during the 2018-19 season. He also averaged a double-double, 25.5 points and 12.3 rebounds, in the playoffs as the Bucks advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UojIHFmLyIY

Although Milwaukee fell short against the eventual NBA champion Toronto Raptors, the roster is built to remain in title contention for as long as the Greek Freak is the cornerstone.

In 2014, Antetokounmpo expressed interest in a long-term stay with the Bucks following his first NBA season:

I'll never leave the team and the city of Milwaukee till we build the team to a championship level team..

— Giannis Antetokounmpo (@Giannis_An34) July 17, 2014

But ESPN's Malika Andrews reported in May the superstar's outlook could change if Milwaukee doesn't reach the 2020 NBA Finals.

"In more concrete terms, a source close to Antetokounmpo said that getting to the NBA Finals is not just an ambition, it could tip the scales as he weighs his contractual future," Andrews wrote. "And if they can reach the NBA Finals next season, the Bucks can improve their chances of signing Antetokounmpo to the supermax in the summer of 2020."

The Bucks' supermax offer was never in question. Giannis' decision is less of a certainty.

---

The Sports Illustrated Top 100 Players of the NBA is out, and list curator Rob Mahoney joins The Full 48 with Howard Beck to discuss the brand new #1, Giannis Antetokounmpo, why it’s not LeBron, how Kevin Durant factored into this season’s list, the Kyrie Irving effect, James Harden vs Steph Curry, and why the Charlotte Hornets have no players in the Top 100.

The Milwaukee Bucks had an excellent 2018-19 campaign. They won an NBA-best 60 games during the regular season, reached the Eastern Conference Finals and watched as superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo elevated his game and was named league MVP.  

Still, the Bucks have unfinished business after winning the first two games of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Toronto Raptors before losing the next four against the eventual champions. It's a title or bust for the Bucks this season. 

They'll largely bring back the same group after re-signing Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez and George Hill. They also bolstered their bench with the signings of Wesley Matthews, Robin Lopez and Kyle Korver. 

But there were losses. Malcolm Brogdon is now a member of the Indiana Pacers after a sign-and-trade. And Nikola Mirotic signed with FC Barcelona of the Euroleague, though he likely wouldn't have returned to Milwaukee as a free agent regardless. 

Nonetheless, the Bucks head into the 2019-20 season as a top contender. With Kawhi Leonard now in Los Angeles, the Boston Celtics weakened by the losses of Kyrie Irving and Al Horford and Brooklyn's Kevin Durant unlikely to play this season, the Philadelphia 76ers likely are the Bucks' biggest threat in the East.

Below, we'll break down the schedule Milwaukee will face as it seeks the title it couldn't quite achieve a year ago.

               

2019-20 Schedule Details

Season Opener: Oct. 24 at Houston Rockets

Championship Odds: 11-2 (via Caesars)

Full Schedule: Bucks Twitter

            

Top Matchups

Philadelphia 76ers (First Home Game: Feb. 6)

If ever there was a team that seemed constructed to slow down the Greek Freak, it's this iteration of the Sixers.

In adding Al Horford, the Sixers brought aboard one of the few players who has had some measure of success dealing with Antetokounmpo.

The Sixers can also utilize Joel Embiid on the reigning MVP, who is big enough, strong enough and athletic enough to cause him some issues. And the Sixers are big in general, with Ben Simmons a third option to guard Antetokounmpo and the 6'6" Josh Richardson their shortest starter.

So the Sixers have the players to face Antetokounmpo one-on-one. In a 130-125 win over Milwaukee last March, the Sixers did just that, and Antetokounmpo went for 52 points, partly because he finished 19-of-21 from the charity stripe.

But the rest of the Bucks finished just 28-of-69 from the field (40.5 percent) and 13-of-42 from three (30.9 percent). 

One of the knocks on the Bucks is that they don't have a true superstar to pair with the Greek Freak, a fact that becomes apparent when Antetokounmpo struggles. Leonard and the Raptors held him to 20.5 points per game in their four wins over the Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals—modest marks by Antetokounmpo's lofty standards—versus 27 points per game in Milwaukee's two wins.

In those four losses, Middleton averaged just 14.7 points (though to be fair to him, he did score 30 points in Game 4), Eric Bledsoe averaged 11 and Lopez averaged 14.5.

The Bucks simply don't have a second player capable of consistently lifting them to wins against elite competition if Antetokounmpo isn't firing on all cylinders.   

Most teams don't have players capable of giving him issues one-on-one, so the Bucks generate a ton of clean perimeter looks when help shuffles toward the paint. The Bucks, at their best, beat you with both Antetokounmpo dominance and total team offense.

But the Sixers have defenders in Horford and Embiid who can frustrate Antetokounmpo on his drives to the basket, perhaps enticing him to settle for threes (where he's shot just 27.7 percent for his career). And it will also allow them to stay home on Milwaukee's shooters, forcing them into tougher looks.

Obviously, the risk is that Antetokounmpo just wills the Bucks to victory, regardless. He's good enough to do just that, and he averaged an incredible 43 points against the Sixers last season as Milwaukee won the season series, 2-1.

With Horford on board this season, though, the Sixers should be even better equipped to deal with the Greek Freak, and watching that matchup will be fascinating.

                

Indiana Pacers (First Home Game: Dec. 22)

The Bucks are the favorites to win the East and the resounding favorites to be kings of the Central Division. But don't sleep on the Pacers.

Despite being without star guard Victor Oladipo for 46 games last season, the Pacers still finished 48-34 and earned the fifth seed in the postseason, where they were unceremoniously swept by the Boston Celtics.

They improved this offseason, though. For one, Oladipo—their leading scorer the past two seasons—will be back in action at some point once he recovers from a ruptured quad tendon. 

The addition of Brogdon was huge as well. His defense, shooting (40.8 percent from three for his career) and playmaking will be a major bonus in Indiana's backcourt. The eventual pairing of Brogdon and Oladipo should fit together seamlessly and is arguably the best backcourt in the East.

Plus, Brogdon's return to Milwaukee will add even more intrigue to the matchup.

The Pacers also improved on the wing, adding two scorers in T.J. Warren and Jeremy Lamb, who are each capable of giving them buckets in either a starting or rotational role. 

Add in the big-man pair of Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis, and the Pacers are legitimate contenders in the East. They don't have the overall star power of the Bucks, Sixers, Boston Celtics or Brooklyn Nets, but they have a well-constructed roster that should be tough defensively, with some added scoring punch brought aboard this offseason.

Milwaukee won the season series last year, 3-1, but expect the Pacers to be an even tougher opponent this time around.

                  

Prediction

The Bucks are going to be really, really good. They have the best player in the Eastern Conference in Antetokounmpo and a roster built to maximize his talents that fits into the modern NBA's emphasis on floor spacing and three-point shooting. They are built to succeed in the regular season.

The question surrounding this team is whether its ready to take the final step to become champions.

Will Middleton play like a true second superstar after signing a five-year, $178 million contract extension this offseason? How much will the absence of Brogdon—who was at times Milwaukee's second-best player during last year's playoffs—hurt this team? Can Bledsoe finally overcome his postseason woes, where he's averaged just 10.3 points per game and shot 25.5 percent from three?

As much of a feel-good story as the Bucks were last season, the summer of 2021 looms over the franchise. That's when Antetokounmpo can become a free agent. Building a championship-winning team around him should be the organization's only goal, or they risk losing him in two years.

.@Bucks GM Jon Horst joined @TheFrankIsola & @Scalabrine and discussed the future of Giannis in Milwaukee. pic.twitter.com/bggd1MVZml

— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) July 18, 2019

So yes, the stakes are high in Milwaukee. They're good enough to roll through the regular season, but the postseason is where the future of the organization may be decided. 

Record Prediction: 58-24

While numerous Americans have backed out of the chance to represent their country at the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup, Giannis Antetokounmpo is taking it seriously.  

"I would exchange the MVP title for the gold medal in China," he said, per the event's official site.

The Milwaukee Bucks star will represent Greece in the upcoming basketball world championship, a country that has been eliminated in the Round of 16 during the last two tournaments after earning silver in 2006.

Greece has never won a gold medal at the event.

Antetokounmpo has already had plenty of success at the NBA level, earning three straight All-Star selections and breaking through with his first MVP award this past season. He led the Milwaukee Bucks to the best record in the NBA and the Eastern Conference Finals before losing to the eventual champion Toronto Raptors.

It will be significantly tougher to find this level of success at the FIBA World Cup, although he will get some help from his brothers, Thanasis and Kostas, who will also be on the roster.

Even if it's a difficult path, Giannis is excited to represent Greece:

"I always feel something special when playing for the national team. When you are starting the tournament and listening to the national anthem, the emotions can't be described. After the first basket, the first plays, it is an amazing experience and every time I feel as proud as the first time. The feeling of winning with the national team is incredible, and I have said before that I will always be part of the team, as long as I am healthy like this summer."

Antetokounmpo represented Greece during qualifying for the 2016 Summer Olympics but could not guide his team to Rio de Janeiro as a 21-year-old.

His approach is much different from that of players from the United States this summer. The team remains a favorite but has seen several stars like Damian Lillard, Bradley Beal, James Harden, Anthony Davis and more decline invitations.

The Milwaukee Bucks agreed to a two-year deal with power forward Dragan Bender, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Bender, the No. 4 pick in the 2016 draft, spent the last three years with the Phoenix Suns, averaging 5.3 points and 3.8 rebounds. He shot 39.4 percent from the field and 32.1 percent from beyond the arc.

Given how few recent first-round picks are still with the Suns, it's fair to wonder how much of Bender's problems were down to his surroundings. Few teams are more dysfunctional than Phoenix, which isn't an ideal situation for a young player who needs a lot of work to shape out his game.

Alex Len, a 2013 first-rounder, left as a free agent last offseason. The Suns traded Marquese Chriss and Josh Jackson from the 2017 draft before faced with the dilemma of offering them a second contract. They also traded 2014 pick T.J. Warren, who's on a pretty reasonable four-year, $47 million deal, to the Indiana Pacers for reasons that aren't immediately clear.

Simply getting out of Phoenix is a step in the right direction for Bender.

Joining Milwaukee is a shrewd move for both parties.

The Bucks have little flexibility to strengthen their roster outside of trades. This is the kind of risk they should take to fill out their bench. Bender is still only 21, so there's time for him to shed his bust label and become a steady rotation player.

For Bender, the Bucks are a good fit because he'll be asked to do little on offense beyond parking at the perimeter. The 7'1", 225-pound Croatia native shot 36.6 percent on threes in 2017-18 and also boasted a 53.8 effective field-goal percentage on catch-and-shoots, per NBA.com. Bender was much worse in 2018-19, hitting only 21.8 percent of his long-range opportunities.

If he can return to his 2017-18 self, Bender will be a good floor-spacer for Milwaukee.

There's always the risk of reading too much into a player's draft position. Being a top-five pick doesn't ultimately mean anything for Bender or say anything about what kind of career he'll have. Anthony Bennett, the No. 1 selection in 2013, played for four teams in his first four years before falling out of the NBA altogether in 2017.

In the event Bender fails to make any progress, it shouldn't have any impact on the Bucks' chances of making a deep postseason run in 2020.

Free-agent shooting guard Kyle Korver will return for a 17th NBA season after agreeing to a deal with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Korver's agent, Jeff Schwartz, told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski his client will receive a one-year contract from the Bucks.

Korver averaged 8.6 points on 41.6 percent shooting in 70 games for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Utah Jazz last season. The 6'7" wing shot 39.7 percent from three-point range.

The 38-year-old Korver may have only averaged 19.1 minutes per game last season, but he was a strong weapon for the Jazz off the bench en route to their 50-32 regular season and playoff appearance. Of note, Utah went 36-18 when Korver was active.

After the season, the Jazz traded Korver to the Memphis Grizzlies, who in turn dealt the ex-Creighton star to the Phoenix Suns.

However, Phoenix waived Korver, leaving him free to sign elsewhere. He had been linked to the Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers.

Korver joins a Bucks team looking to replace Malcolm Brogdon, who was traded to the Indiana Pacers.

Brogdon, who hit 42.6 percent of his three-pointers last season, made a leap, scoring 15.6 points for the 60-22 Bucks.

Milwaukee has added Wesley Matthews, who essentially traded places with Brogdon after finishing the season with the Pacers last year. Pat Connaughton also figures to get more playing time.

Still, a team can't have enough outside shooting in a league wherein teams are taking (and making) more threes than ever. Korver can help replace Brogdon's production along with others thanks to his three-point prowess.

The Bucks were two games from winning the Eastern Conference after finishing with the league's best record last season. They may well finish with the East's No. 1 seed next year in part because of shrewd offseason moves like adding Korver, who provides an excellent veteran presence and bench scoring.

In sum, Korver should be a great fit for Milwaukee as the guard looks to win his first NBA title with a franchise seeking its first championship since 1970-71.

JR Smith's free-agent tour will reportedly begin by having a meeting with the Milwaukee Bucks. 

Per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Smith and the Bucks will sit down together in Milwaukee on Thursday. 

The Cleveland Cavaliers waived Smith on Monday after being unable to find a trade partner for the veteran guard. 

Per ESPN's Bobby Marks, the Cavs will have a $1.27 million cap hit if Smith signs a veteran-minimum contract worth $2.6 million with another team. 

The Los Angeles Lakers were frequently linked to Smith if he became a free agent, but ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported they are "an unlikely destination" for the 33-year-old. 

The Bucks are trying to maximize their potential for next season coming off a 60-win campaign in 2018-19. They will bring back most of their core from last season, but Malcolm Brogdon joining the Indiana Pacers takes away a crucial element from their offense. 

Brogdon led Milwaukee in three-point percentage (42.6) and free-throw percentage (92.8).

Smith is a 37.3 percent career shooter from three-point range. He only played in 11 games for the Cavaliers last season. 

If Giannis Antetokounmpo is only scratching the surface of his potential, it's a scary thought for the rest of the NBA.

The Milwaukee Bucks superstar and reigning league MVP told Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN on Saturday he's only 60 percent of the way to his final form:

"There's a lot of things I can improve on. First of all, [I have to] look at myself before I look at anybody else. Try to self-improve as much as possible. There are a lot of things that I got to work on in my game.

"A lot of people say, 'You are the MVP, you are one of the best players in the league, you are so dominant.' But I think I can get better. I think I am at 60 percent of my potential, as good as I can be. I just want to be better. If I am in the same situation again [in the conference finals], react better, play the game better, play better, execute better."

All the Greek Freak did during his MVP-winning season last year was average 27.7 points, 12.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 57.8 percent from the field. If there was one major area he could improve in, however, it would be his perimeter shooting, after he shot just 25.6 percent from three in the 2018-19 campaign.

For his career, he's just a 27.7 percent shooter from beyond the arc. If he could get that number even up to around 34 percent, he'd become basically unguardable. It's arguable that, given his 6'11" size, strength and ability to both get to the basket at will and finish above the rim, he's already about as unguardable as any player in the NBA.

For the 24-year-old Antetokounmpo, the end goal hasn't changed: winning a championship, and doing so in Milwaukee:

"My goal is going to stay the same: It's get better, take it day by day, step by step, and the ultimate goal is to win a championship. As long as that we are all on the same page and we are all focused on that goal, why not play for the Bucks 20 years; why not play 25 years? Why not, after playing, be a member of the coaching staff or a member of the front office? But we got to have the same goal. We got to have the same principles. ... We got to focus on winning a championship.

"I want to be a part of a winning team. As long as we have the same mindset and same approach to the game, there's no reason for me to move and not be like Steph [Curry], not like be like Dirk [Nowitzki] or Kobe [Bryant] or Tim Duncan."

In a summer that saw an incredible amount of player movement—from players like Anthony Davis, Paul George, Russell Westbrook and Mike Conley getting traded, to Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Kemba Walker, Jimmy Butler and Al Horford changing teams in free agency—those comments from Antetokounmpo will soothe some fears in Milwaukee.

The reigning MVP is set to become a free agent after the 2020-21 season, and if he hits the market, there would be a frenzy around the NBA to sign him. For teams that missed out on the free-agency party this summer, reserving cap space for the summer of 2021 became the priority, especially given next summer's far weaker crop of free agents.

The Bucks will be able to offer the Greek Freak a five-year supermax contract next summer—far more money than any other team will be permitted to dangle in front of him. And if the Bucks remain a title contender as expected—they are one of two favorites in the Eastern Conference, alongside the Philadelphia 76ers—Antetokounmpo could be motivated to stay.

For now, he's motivated on reaching his full potential, as the rest of the NBA shudders in fear at just how high his ceiling might be.