The Milwaukee Bucks were expected to be one of the contenders for the Championship this season, and yet they find themselves eleventh in the Eastern Conference, fresh off suffering a blowout 130-91 defeat against the Orlando Magic. Their talisman, Giannis Antetokounmpo, didn’t feature in this game due to calf injury management, and his future in Milwaukee is extremely dicey. Even his Bucks teammate Bobby Portis delivered a confusing answer regarding his close friend’s future in Milwaukee.

Recently, Bucks veteran Bobby Portis appeared on the ‘Run it back’ podcast, and there he was asked about Giannis’ chances of staying in Milwaukee beyond this summer. “I’m at a 5, right there in the middle…it’s up in the air,” Portis replied. This reply was shocking for the fans as well, and many felt that the Greek Freak may stick with the Bucks after he decides to stay beyond the trade deadline this season. But when his close friend and teammate is unsure about his future, fans and analysts can only speculate.

Many people had already believed that Giannis would leave the Bucks at the trade deadline, with multiple teams showing interest in the 31-year-old. However, the Bucks decided to hold onto the franchise cornerstone past the deadline to allow teams to sort things out and offer more lucrative deals. In the meantime, many believed that the Bucks would be able to convince Giannis, with whom they had won the Championship in 2021.

Giannis has been asking the Bucks to make moves in the market to elevate the roster so that they can compete for the Championship. But despite the best efforts, the Bucks have fallen to 11th spot in the East, and with more losses, they could miss out on the opportunity to even feature in the play-in tournament. So it is only fair for the 31-year-old to move to a team where he would be instantly a contender for the title, as he would like to win multiple Championships and honors in his prime before it’s too late. So if his ambitions don’t align with the Bucks, he may consider leaving Milwaukee this summer for a team like the Warriors, for example.

Golden State Warriors showed interest in landing Giannis Antetokounmpo at the trade deadline

The Golden State Warriors were all in for Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, and they tried everything in their power to land the 31-year-old forward. With Jimmy Butler III getting injured, the Dubs desperately needed someone who could support Stephen Curry, and there’s hardly anyone better than Giannis to improve a team’s frontcourt.

The Dubs have the draft assets and the players whom they could send in exchange for the 31-year-old. Also, with Curry already 37, Giannis could become the bridge between the present and the future of the Warriors when they eventually decide to move beyond Curry. But rumors were suggesting that Giannis would not want to join a team with already a star player like Stephen Curry. Eventually, the move didn’t happen, but there are strong indications that the Dubs will again be interested in the Greek Freak this summer.

However, new rumors have emerged suggesting that the Warriors were also interested in Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard and former Charlotte Hornets big man Jaren Jackson Jr. While Leonard can still be an option for Steve Kerr, Jackson has already been traded at the deadline to the Utah Jazz.

Currently, the Warriors will still have the option of Leonard open this summer if Giannis Antetokounmpo’s move doesn’t happen. However, the Clippers’ talisman would come to the Warriors with some baggage. Currently, the NBA is running an investigation into the forward and the Clippers over concerns about possible salary cap circumvention. So, in case of Leonard’s contract getting voided, the Warriors would happily add him to their roster as they desperately need front-court reinforcements.