Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks are on the brink of elimination against the .603 Miami Heat. This team implosion comes at a bad time. The Greek Freak’s contract expires at the end of next season. The teams he is falling behind are also front-runners to land the generational talent in free agency.
Time is Running Out
Per NBC Sports, Yahoo Sports’ Vince Goodwill said that Miami and Toronto are the leading candidates to sign Giannis should he chose to leave.
“Many in league circles believe (the) Miami (Heat) and Toronto (Raptors) are the frontrunners in the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes, with one observer telling Yahoo Sports ‘it’s an open secret within the Orlando bubble”
Vincent Goodwill, Yahoo Sports
The next two days will most likely determine which teams will face-off in the Eastern Conference Finals. With Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s Game Four exit and questionable Game Five status, things are not looking up for the Bucks, already down three games to one. The Toronto Raptors are in position to take a lead in the series after falling down two games to none. Both Miami and Toronto’s cases to woo Giannis would be strengthened by a Conference Finals or NBA Finals appearance.
Giannis’ confidence in his team will probably dip to an all-time low if they lose this series. The prospect of playing in large, vibrant cities like Toronto and Miami is already a disadvantage to Milwaukee. If Toronto and Miami show that the move also makes sense from a pure basketball standpoint, then it will be too good for Antetokounmpo to decline.
It would feel wrong seeing Giannis Antetokounmpo become the league’s villain. He would undoubtedly be tossed in the same basket as 2010 LeBron and 2016 KD.
Milwaukee needs to make a serious push to get Giannis a ring in 2021. Bigger and better things are very much within reach.
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