What is it with the Milwaukee Bucks and them making all these weird headlines this season? They’ve signed another Antetokounmpo brother to a two-way deal, joining Thanasis and Giannis Antetokounmpo ahead of the 2025-26 regular season. According to Shams Charania, it is the first time three siblings have all been on active roster contracts for the same team. And while this surely is a headline for the record books, the fine print matters even more.

The Bucks have entered a season where the stakes couldn’t be higher. Giannis Antetokounmpo has one year left on his contract after this season. The problem is that he’s more likely to leave than stay. Hence, every offseason move is being dissected. Is Alex’s signing just a coincidence? It feels more like a calculated move. As Shams told NBA on ESPN, the Bucks are “clearly doing everything they can to make Giannis feel as comfortable and accommodated as possible.”

Charania labelled Alex Antetokounmpo’s signing a broader effort to leave “no stone unturned.”

“But from Giannis’ point of view, I’m told that these moves are isolated from him and his decisions. And my understanding is he will make his ultimate decision on his future, whatever that may be, as he has one year left on his contract after this season. And that will be based on the team’s play,” he clarified.

Brian Windhorst added another viewpoint. After Shams reported that the Knicks and Bucks briefly discussed a potential Giannis trade in August, “some teams checked in,” Windy said. 

However, the Milwaukee side shut it down. “So the Bucks are totally focused to have Giannis as you would expect,” the analyst added.

But in today’s modern NBA, where loyalty lasts only as long as the standings say it can, we’re just a headline away from doubting everything again. Because the truth is, Giannis’ future may not align with the Bucks’ championship timeline.

They’ve flamed out in the first round for three straight seasons. According to The Athletic, Giannis Antetokounmpo is only the second player in NBA history, after Oscar Robertson, to average 30-plus points for three consecutive seasons without winning a playoff series. That’s a stat no star player wants attached to their name. And yet, this is Giannis we’re talking about.

This is a player whose identity is built on loyalty, not quick exits. His three-year $175 million deal runs through the 2027-28 season with a player option for the final year. Per Bobby Marks, he will be eligible for a four-year, $293.4 million supermax extension in the 2026 offseason. Which makes it even clearer that money isn’t the issue. The veteran just wants to win.

Giannis Antetokounmpo said it himself on Media Day: “I want to be on a team that allows me and gives me a chance to win a championship… it is never going to change. I want to be among the best.” 

Giannis Antetokounmpo has the Bucks navigating on very, very thin ice, ahead of the 2025-26 season

The Bucks’ preseason has been promising. They’ve won games without Giannis and embraced a more free-flowing offense. The 30-year-old credited his team’s approach after their win over Chicago, saying, “Last year we had one of the best three-point shooting teams in the league, and I think this year we can even be better.”

That optimism is fueled by additions like Myles Turner, whose shooting has already made an impact. The Bucks attempted 48 threes against Chicago, hitting 20. Giannis doesn’t need to stretch himself big; if the floor is stretched out for him, already. It’s a version of Milwaukee basketball that might finally click. Still, chemistry can’t just be a preseason buzzword.

Top Stories

Are LeBron James, Luka Doncic Playing Tonight? Lakers vs. Celtics Full Injury Report (Dec. 5)

Napheesa Collier Subtly Challenges Cathy Engelbert Over WNBA’s CBA, Revenue-Sharing Decisions

WNBA Star Caitlin Clark Labeled ‘Taylor Swift 2.0’ in Telling Locker Room Admission

Luka Doncic Inquired About Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade That Will Put 6 Lakers Stars At Risk – Reports

LeBron James Breaks Silence After Ending Double-Digit Scoring Streak Against Toronto Raptors

The Bucks’ window is shrinking, and their margin for error is thinner than ever. Even if his family reunion makes headlines, Giannis’s focus remains practical. The first quarter of this season, as Shams noted, will be “critical to see just how good or where the Bucks stand.”

And if Milwaukee doesn’t stand tall enough? Well, that’s where all the speculations grow louder.

The New York Knicks have long hovered in the background of Giannis rumors. They’ve checked in. But the finances are overwhelming. New York’s salary cap is tight, so even if Giannis wanted to make the jump, it wouldn’t be easy. So what’s left for Milwaukee?

The answer lies somewhere between loyalty and leverage. Giannis doesn’t bluff. He most likely won’t leak a trade request through his agent or orchestrate chaos mid-season. But he will watch closely. If the Bucks stumble again, the Greek Freak may just decide that comfort is overrated and it’s time to move.

There’s a slight positive amidst all this chaos. The Knicks have 11 home games across their first 20 matchups of the season (tied for 2nd-most in the NBA in the relevant timespan). Last season, they had a decent 28-14 record at the Fiserv Forum. What they need now is stability more than anything else.