Things could start getting freaky in Milwaukee … in a bad way.
The Bucks lost in the first round of the NBA playoffs for the third consecutive season, hoisting their immediate future into jeopardy with their longtime superstar, Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Could the “Greek Freak” be on his way out of the Midwest?
Let’s see the odds at DraftKings Sportsbook as of May 2.
Bucks: -200 (bet $10 to win $15 total)
Warriors: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total)
Rockets: +950 (bet $10 to win $105 total)
Spurs: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)
Heat: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)
Lakers: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)
Nets: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)
Suns: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)
Thunder: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)
Since the Bucks won the NBA title at the end of the 2020-21 season, things have progressively gone downhill.
The following season, Milwaukee lost in the Eastern Conference semifinals to the Boston Celtics in seven games. Since then, the Bucks have not made it past the first round in three consecutive seasons, amassing a 4-12 postseason record in that time.
Making matters worse, their second superstar, Damian Lillard, tore his Achilles on April 27, during Game 4 of Milwaukee’s first-round series against Indiana. He is expected to miss a significant portion of next season.
Where do the Bucks go from here? Is it time to trade their franchise cornerstone in Antetokounmpo?
Rumor is, that’s the only way to go.
Lillard and Antetokounmpo are owed nearly $300 million over the next several years, dealing a major blow to their salary cap flexibility, and the Bucks also don’t control their first-round draft picks until 2031.
In summary, Milwaukee doesn’t have many ways to get better … outside of trading Antetokounmpo.
Will Giannis Antetokounmpo stay with the Bucks?
While the Bucks are favored to retain Antetokounmpo, and the Greek superstar has not said he wants to be traded, there are several teams across the league that would potentially offer a boatload for his services.
Second on the board are the Warriors, who have already made a big splash this season, landing Jimmy Butler via trade in early February. Third is Houston, which has a wealth of young talent, as well as Phoenix’s first-round pick in 2026.
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