Giannis Antetokounmpo

There will be trade offers. There will be armchair trade proposals all over social media. There will be endless speculation from talking heads who, for the past year, have been openly attempting to speak into existence one of the NBA's most magnetic young superstars leaving an unglamorous market for...take your pick of the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat or some other marquee organization.

The Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo need to tune out all of it.

And that appears to be the company line, for now.

Ten minutes after his season ended on Tuesday evening, Antetokounmpo sat down for his final virtual media availability and said something Bucks fans should love to hear but that will be less welcome to fans of 29 other teams hoping he may choose them in a year: "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 then told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports that a trade request is "not happening."

For the second year in a row, the Bucks fell disappointingly short of their championship aspirations despite finishing with the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. This time, after a five-game loss to the Miami Heat in the second round, the stakes were higher.

The soon-to-be two-time reigning MVP will be a free agent after the 2020-21 season, and unless he signs the extension the Bucks are sure to offer him the minute they're allowed to do so, speculation about his future, which is already rampant, will kick into overdrive.

No one knows if Antetokounmpo will sign the five-year, $254 million extension the Bucks can give him. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the uncertain status of next season, no one even knows when free agency will begin. But one thing is certain: Even if he turns down the new deal and decides to keep his options open, the Bucks shouldn't outsmart themselves by trading him to get out in front of the possibility that he leaves.

Their only option is to go all-in on one last run.

If they fall short again and he leaves after next season, it won't be the first time a small-market team lost a generational talent after failing to deliver a championship. But it would be a disservice to themselves and their fans not to take that final shot at a title.

As superstar movement and the formation of superteams have become the norm over the past decade, dating back to LeBron James' 2010 "Decision," the timeline of "pre-agency" has crept further and further out from the day a player actually hits the open market. In the past two years, Anthony Davis and Kawhi Leonard forced trades from the teams that gave them their NBA starts, with Davis' initial trade request out of New Orleans coming a full 18 months ahead of his ability to become a free agent.

Once Antetokoumpo's future is resolved, the Free-Agency Media Industrial Complex will move on and do the exact same thing to Donovan Mitchell—and then Trae Young and, eventually, Zion Williamson. That's just how it works.

But unless Antetokounmpo outright asks to be traded—and his Tuesday night comments would indicate that isn't the route he'll take—the Bucks can't entertain the notion even if he doesn't commit right away to that supermax extension.

The last two players who were this dominant coming up on free agency were in similar situations. James left the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2010 to team up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on the Heat; Kevin Durant left the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2016 to join what was already a juggernaut in Golden State. 

Each of their teams was fully aware a year or more in advance that losing them was a real possibility. If they wanted to, they could have gotten ahead of it and set themselves up for the future with a haul of young players and draft picks. 

But you can't be the team that traded LeBron James or Kevin Durant, and the Bucks can't be the team that traded Giannis Antetokounmpo.

What could you possibly get back that comes close to fair value for arguably the best player in the league when he's going into his age-26 season? No young prospect Milwaukee could get has a chance to become as good as him unless Williamson or Luka Doncic is somehow on the table.

The Warriors, one of the teams with long-rumored interest in Antetokounmpo, can offer Andrew Wiggins' enormous contract and the No. 2 overall pick in what is widely regarded as the weakest draft in two decades. What's that going to do for the Bucks?

The Cavs made moves around James in 2009-10, adding Antawn Jamison at the trade deadline. The Thunder fired head coach Scott Brooks and replaced him with Billy Donovan going into the 2015-16 season, a move Durant supported, and retooled around him and Russell Westbrook. That Thunder team led the Warriors 3-1 in the Western Conference Finals and came within a Klay Thompson scoring outburst of making the Finals.

If they had won that series, maybe Durant would have stayed. They didn't, and he left. But even if Thunder general manager Sam Presti knew exactly how it would shake out, there's no way he wouldn't do it again.

What's clear after a shocking second-round elimination is that this Bucks team, as presently constructed, isn't good enough to win a title despite its regular-season record. General manager Jon Horst has to do something more to prove he can build a championship team around Antetokounmpo.

Maybe that means a coaching change. Mike Budenholzer won Coach of the Year last season and helmed the best defense in the league this year. But it was obvious from some of Antetokounmpo's postgame comments during the Heat series that he was annoyed with Budenholzer's inflexible rotations and refusal to play him and Khris Middleton more than their regular-season allotment of minutes.

If Antetokounmpo signals to the front office that he still believes in Budenholzer, he should stay. But if they think a new coach will give them a better chance to keep him, that's a change they have to make.

Maybe it means some small tweaks to the roster, replacing Wesley Matthews and Kyle Korver with some younger, more mobile wings or trading Eric Bledsoe or George Hill for an upgrade at point guard. Antetokounmpo and Middleton are a terrific one-two combo, but the supporting cast needs to be better.

Or maybe they take a home-run swing and trade for Chris Paul, who is very available as the Thunder look to rebuild, a move they telegraphed with their surprising Tuesday night decision not to bring back Donovan as head coach.

Paul is still owed a lot of money ($85.6 million over the next two seasons, including a $44.2 million player option for 2021-22), but he had an All-NBA-caliber season this year and led the Thunder to the playoffs, where they took the Houston Rockets to seven games in the first round.

It would be hard to make the salaries match, and they'd probably have to part with starting center Brook Lopez, but that's the kind of move that would materially increase their short-term ceiling and show their star they're serious.

Antetokounmpo's comments Tuesday night don't guarantee he'll ultimately choose to sign long-term. There's a long line of stars who said similar things before leaving. But they at least signal he's willing to give the Bucks this final shot to show him why he should. 

It's on them not to mess it up.

Sean Highkin covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. He is a graduate of the University of Oregon and lives in Portland. His work has been honored by the Pro Basketball Writers' Association. Follow him onTwitter, Instagram and in the B/R App.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is eligible to become a free agent after the 2020-21 season.

It remains to be seen where the reigning NBA MVP will be playing ball after the 2021 offseason, but ESPN's Stephen A. Smith believes Antetokounmpo won't be heading to the New York Knicks (2:35).

"No way in hell," Smith said. He went on to say that he was rooting for the new Knicks front office led by president Leon Rose but reiterated that there "ain't no way in hell that's happening. I don't believe that."

Ex-NBA player, ESPN analyst and Brooklyn Nets color commentator Richard Jefferson expressed similar sentiments against Antetokounmpo's potential of heading to New York.

The Knicks have tens of millions in cap space in the coming years, although the Bucks can offer even more money via a supermax extension.

Still, New York is coming off a 21-45 season and isn't in position to contend for a deep playoff run like the Bucks or other teams, and that could be a mark against the Knicks as they pursue top-end free agents.

As for Milwaukee, Antetokounmpo and the Bucks have largely thrived during the last two regular seasons, finishing with the NBA's best win-loss record both times.

However, the postseason has ended in disappointment on both occasions. Last year, the Bucks blew a 2-0 series lead to the eventual NBA champion Toronto Raptors before losing four straight in the Eastern Conference Finals.

This season, Milwaukee lost its first three Eastern Conference semifinal games against the Miami Heat en route to a 4-1 series defeat.

There hasn't been any serious indication that Antetokounmpo is looking to head elsewhere of late, and that's been the trend for some time.

On Tuesday, Antetokounmpo made it clear to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports that he had no plans to go anywhere: "It's not happening. That's not happening. 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."

He added:

"If winning a championship was easy, everyone would have one. 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.

"Everyone has a role to play. You see my brother, Thanasis, he's always up cheering and doing whatever he can when he's not playing. I'm no different. This is a team, and I'm going to do whatever I can to help our team win games."

ESPN's Tim Bontemps also offered this report in June:

"Milwaukee is still considered likely to keep Antetokounmpo long term, but insiders cited the potential of the salary cap dropping both this offseason and in future years as a reason Giannis might take a wait-and-see approach. Still, the overriding belief is that whatever happens on the court will play the biggest role in his decision."

Antetokounmpo also had this to say to Mackenzie Salmon of USA Today in February on creating a legacy with the Bucks:

"I can't think that far ahead. I'm just trying to focus on the moment and get better.".

"But why not? I'm a guy that wants to be with a team for a while. As long as we're winning. And we're winning so far, so I don't think anything's going to change." 

The Heat-Giannis speculation has been prevalent in the past, with Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writing that the team was considering going after Antetokounmpo and free-agent-to-be Indiana Pacers guard Victor Oladipo in the summer of 2021.

However, it appears Antetokounmpo is intent on staying in Milwaukee as the team goes back to the drawing board after another early playoff exit.

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.

Let the speculation about Giannis Antetokounmpo's future begin.

The Milwaukee Bucks superstar missed his team's 103-94 loss to the Miami Heat in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Tuesday with the same sprained right ankle that forced him out of Game 4 in the second quarter. This time, his teammates couldn't pull off the upset without him.

That means the Heat are heading to the Eastern Conference Finals, while the Bucks are heading home and bracing for an offseason of rumors and conversations about whether Antetokounmpo will sign a supermax extension.

              

Key Stats

Jimmy Butler, MIA: 17 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, five turnovers

Khris Middleton, MIL: 23 points, seven rebounds, six assists

Bam Adebayo, MIA: 13 points, six boards

Donte DiVincenzo, MIL: 17 points

Tyler Herro, MIA: 14 points, eight rebounds, six assists

Brook Lopez, MIL: 15 points, 14 rebounds

                

Everything in Milwaukee Revolves Around Antetokounmpo's Future

The Bucks can't be blamed for losing Game 5 without their best player and arguably the best player in the NBA, period. But they can be blamed for losing the first three games of the series with him. As Miami prepares for a potential run to the NBA Finals, the Bucks have to find a way to build a better title contender around the Greek Freak and hope he signs an extension.

Bucks go down in 5. They need to get Giannis better help

— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) September 9, 2020

If he doesn't, he'll be a free agent next offseason, setting up major questions about his future in Milwaukee. There are already questions about whether the Bucks have hit their ceiling following consecutive seasons as the top seed in the Eastern Conference, only to fail to reach the NBA Finals. If Antetokounmpo doesn't believe Milwaukee can get him over the top, he could opt to hit free agency a year from now.

The Bucks have so many questions to address.

Is Khris Middleton suited to be the No. 2 star on a contender? Probably not. Can they do better at point guard than Eric Bledsoe, who didn't exactly erase his reputation for coming up small in the playoffs this year? Probably. Has head coach Mike Budenholzer taken this team as far as it can go? Debatable. Is there an avenue to getting another star? Yes, though it could mean taking on Chris Paul's astronomical contract.

the bucks shouldn't need less of eric bledsoe without middleton on the floor but um the bucks might need less of eric bledsoe without middleton on the floor

— Dan Favale (@danfavale) September 9, 2020

“If they could just get a *decent* Bledsoe shooting game,” the watcher said, again, as the walls closed in

— Dan Devine (@YourManDevine) September 9, 2020

But he won’t. So you have to get rid of him. But if you get rid of him they may not be as good as they were with him.

Bud deserves a ton of credit for what he built Milwaukee into it, he just also deserves extreme criticism for being completely unmalleable. https://t.co/TPzVwMwakO

— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) September 8, 2020

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

For Milwaukee, doing whatever it takes to keep the Greek Freak for the long term is the offseason priority. Expect the organization to do some major soul-searching.

              

Tyler Herro, Jae Crowder and Miami's Role Players Came Up Big

On a night when Miami didn't get much from Butler, the team's defense and its role players played a starring role.

Jae Crowder continued his hot shooting from the perimeter, punishing the Bucks when they left him open from three.

Giannis' reaction after another Crowder 3 😅 https://t.co/IcxzEs8zeO

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 9, 2020

These Crowder threes are sort of ridiculous.

— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) September 9, 2020

Then there's Tyler Herro, whose shooting, ability to drive to the rim and playmaking proved crucial. He had Twitter buzzing:

Herro. No hesitation. 👌

Get to TNT for the rest of the 4th QTR! pic.twitter.com/I7fioEXF0B

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) September 9, 2020

This dime by Herro! 😯 pic.twitter.com/BAS2nzt5to

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) September 9, 2020

I continue to be really impressed with Tyler Herro. A rookie getting this kind of trust from Erik Spoelstra in playoff games is high-level stuff. And when you see plays like that pass, easy to see why.

— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) September 9, 2020

Tyler Herro can play in ANY HOOD in AMERICA!!! Carry on...

— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) September 9, 2020

Tyler Herro is a bad dude -- like three amazing passes here in the 4th and a tough drive-and-score

— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) September 9, 2020

They weren't alone. Kelly Olynyk chipped in 12 points off the bench. Goran Dragic offered 17 points. Andre Iguodala and Kendrick Nunn provided quality minutes in the second unit.

So many props for the Heat. Spo. Butler. Riley. Bam. A rejuvenated-looking Goran. Herro. All of em.

— Chris Herring (@Herring_NBA) September 9, 2020

The Heat won't beat either the Toronto Raptors or Boston Celtics if Butler doesn't take on more of the scoring load. But the Heat are a well-rounded team with plenty of players capable of picking up the slack. That makes them a real threat to get out of the Eastern Conference this year.

                                          

What's Next?

Miami awaits the winner of the other Eastern Conference Semifinals between the Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics. Boston currently leads the series 3-2.

After winning the league's Defensive Player of the Year Award, Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo headlined the 2019-20 NBA All-Defensive Team.

Rudy Gobert, Anthony Davis, Marcus Smart and Ben Simmons filled out the rest of the first team in Tuesday's announcement.

Clamps 🔒

The NBA’s All-Defensive First and Second Team pic.twitter.com/W9TFI8raRg

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 8, 2020

The second team consisted of Patrick Beverley, Eric Bledsoe, Brook Lopez, Kawhi Leonard and Bam Adebayo, rewarding each player for their performance on the defensive end of the court.

The full voting results showed significant separation between those who didn't make one of the two teams:

Complete NBA All-Defensive Team voting: pic.twitter.com/OFeEfwfNlB

— Andrew Lopez (@_Andrew_Lopez) September 8, 2020

The honor is another boost to the resume of Antetokounmpo, who was also named first-team All-Defensive last year on his way to winning the Most Valuable Player Award. He is a finalist for MVP once again in 2019-20.

He was named the league's Defensive Player of the Year with 75 of 100 first-place votes following an impressive season from an analytical perspective. Giannis led the NBA in defensive rating, defensive win shares and defensive box plus-minus, per Basketball Reference.

Teammates Lopez and Bledsoe were also recognized for helping the Bucks finish No. 1 in defensive rating.

Gobert earned a spot on the first team for the fourth season in a row. The Utah Jazz center finished the year with 15.1 points, 13.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game, his sixth straight season with at least two blocks per contest. He also earned his first All-Star selection this year.

Smart is the third player repeating on the first team from last season, continuing his strong defensive play to go with his career-high 12.9 points per game.

Davis was another defensive standout during his first season with the Los Angeles Lakers. The seven-time All-Star averaged 2.3 blocks and 1.5 steals, playing a key role in helping the team transform into a title contender.

It was the first time on an All-Defensive team for Simmons, who led the NBA with 2.1 steals per game. The 6'10" guard matched up against players at every position this season, which helped him finish fourth in voting for Defensive Player of the Year.

Bam Adebayo was also recognized for the first time, joining Los Angeles Clippers teammates Leonard and Beverley on the second team.

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green missed the cut after being named to one of the two teams in each of the last five years.

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.

Along with the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets continuing their series Tuesday, the Miami Heat will try to eliminate the Milwaukee Bucks from the 2020 NBA playoffs.

Milwaukee avoided the sweep despite a hobbled Giannis Antetokounmpo (ankle), but Miami still holds a 3-1 advantage. Although the Bucks are certainly hopeful to have the league MVP on the court, his availability for Game 5 is unclear.

In the nightcap, the Lakers and Rockets are battling for a valuable victory in Game 3 of their series, which is tied 1-1.

And here's how to watch it all.

              

Tuesday NBA Schedule

Heat vs. Bucks (Miami leads series 3-1)

Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
Odds (via FanDuel): Heat -3
TV: TNT
Live stream: TNTdrama.com

           

Lakers vs. Rockets (Series tied 1-1)

Time: 9 p.m. ET
Odds (via FanDuel): Lakers -5
TV: TNT
Live stream: TNTdrama.com

               

Latest News

In the opening game, all eyes are on Giannis.

Antetokounmpo tried to play Sunday but reinjured his right ankle and managed only 11 minutes. Though the Bucks escaped with a 118-115 overtime win, trying to navigate Game 5 without Giannis will be extremely difficult.

As of Monday afternoon, Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer was hopeful but unsure about Antetokounmpo's status.

"Giannis is, like we've said, he's just getting treatment around the clock, doing everything he can to make himself available," according to ESPN's Eric Woodyard.

Shams Charania of Stadium reported the 25-year-old is believed to feel as he did prior to Game 4. He noted Giannis' desire to play, echoing a statement from the Milwaukee coach.

"I mean, I know how hard he's gonna work," Budenholzer said. "I know how hard our sports performance group's gonna work. It's just impossible to say, but I guess, yeah, there's hope. We're not ruling him out; so I guess until he's ruled out, you have hope. Again, he's gonna do everything he can to make himself available, and we'll just see how the next 30 hours go."

But if Giannis is unable to play, the Bucks will lean heavily on All-Star forward Khris Middleton. He posted 36 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in the Game 4 win.

After that contest, attention will shift to the Lakers and Rockets in an ever-important Game 3 matchup.

Houston is looking to bounce back from a disappointing result. The Rockets overcame a 21-point deficit but collapsed in the fourth quarter and fell 117-109.

Russell Westbrook struggled in the loss, finishing with 10 points on 4-of-15 shooting—including a 1-of-7 mark from three-point range. Although he grabbed 13 rebounds and dished four assists, he also committed seven turnovers.

"Right now, I'm just running around," Westbrook said. "I gotta look at film and figure out how to be effective."

And as Westbrook looks for adjustments, Anthony Davis and the Lakers have settled on an important one.

Davis has repeatedly said throughout his career he doesn't want to play center. But against the small-ball Rockets, he can be highly effective in the paint. That showed in Game 2 when he collected 34 points on 15-of-24 shooting and 10 rebounds.

"I'm trying to stay as close to the basket as possible," Davis said afterward, per B/R's Sean Highkin.

LeBron James added 28 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists, four steals and two blocks in the recent win.

The Lakers are five-point favorites Tuesday night.

             

Follow Bleacher Report writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.