Milwaukee Bucks of America basketball star, Giannis Adetokunbo (Antetokounmpo) has admitted he is not in any way thinking about a contract extension with the club, but insists it is not due to lack of interest in a deal, but simply because it is not something he wants to worry about.
Megasportsaena.com reports that this confession comes at a point several media outlets and fans of USA’s National Basketball Association (NBA) are still tilting towards the possibility of Antetokounmpo leaving Milwaukee this off-season, thought The Bucks could offer him a five-year, $228.2m deal.
As things stand, ‘The Greek freak’ has until December 21 to sign The Bucks’ new offer, but the Nigerian-born star, who was voted NBA regular season most valuable player (MVP) for the last two seasons, posited that he is not staying focused on signing a new contract with the club.
However, as the deadline fast approaches for him to accept what has been widely tagged a ‘supermax offer’ from The Bucks, Antetokounmpo added that he is leaving any contract talks to his agent, Alex Saratsis.
All this has been buoyed by speculation that the Greece international is not happy with his lack of titles at Milwaukee as The Bucks, despite registering the strongest NBA regular-season record for each of the last two campaigns, have failed to reach the finals.
A heavy Eastern Conference semi-finals’ defeat to the fifth-seeded Miami Heat this past season raised questions about The Bucks’ ability to compete in the playoffs, thereby creating room for speculation about the future of Antetokounmpo, who turned 26 on Sunday, with many observers believing he will roll the dice and consider entering free agency after next season.
A report by Sky Sports added: “The Bucks can offer a five-year, $228.2m deal that would increase to $243.7m if the league salary cap returns to pre-COVID levels. His current, expiring deal was worth $100m for four years.
“Multiple teams have been rumoured to be waiting in the wings for the two-time NBA MVP if he opts not to stay in Milwaukee, including the Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks.
“The Bucks are scheduled to open the 2020 season on December 23 against the Boston Celtics. By then, it will be clear to Bucks teammates, including All-Star Khris Middleton, whether the “Greek Freak” is likely to remain in Wisconsin.
“Before reporting to the Bucks last week, Antetokounmpo told a TV station in Greece he is open to teaming up with another superstar – as LeBron James did with Anthony Davis last season – if it means winning.”
Antetokounmpo interjected: “This is a statement that I have never made before: If LeBron and Kevin Durant and Anthony Davis came to Milwaukee; I would have been good with that. I am not interested if I am the top, second or third name, okay? Because I want to win.
“For sure, when I was 18 or 19 years old, maybe I didn’t understand what you need to do to win. But right now, I am 25 and I want to win because when I retire, that’s what people will remember.
“If I got LeBron, KD, Davis, if all those came, I wouldn’t mind at all. I don’t care if I am the top [player] on the team. Right now, I am not focused on that. I am just trying to focus on myself.”
