“I am a Milwaukee Buck, but most importantly, I am a winner… and if there is a better situation for me to win the Larry O’Brien Trophy, I have to take that situation.” When Giannis Antetokounmpo uttered these words back in 2023, they weren’t just a bold statement—they were a warning shot. Now, with the team facing a fresh wave of trade rumors, that sentiment is more relevant than ever. Is this the season the Greek Freak finally starts to seriously consider his exit? The possibility is growing, especially as teams like the Knicks circle and insiders point to the alarming financial risks the Bucks have recently taken.

“There’s still nothing set in stone about whether Giannis Antetokounmpo will stay in Milwaukee or whether he will be leaving. And so, he’s continuing to evaluate his future,” ESPN’s Shams Charania recently stated, underscoring the growing uncertainty. And for former champion and All The Smoke host, Matt Barnes, the answer is unsettling.

Joining the latest episode of Big Shot Bob Podcast, he said plainly, “I don’t think you can keep him, to be honest with you.” Barnes is of the belief that after years of unwavering loyalty, Giannis is finally at a crossroads. “This is not the day and age where superstars really sit around and go through rebuilds,” he explained. “I think he’s always been so loyal to a fault. Not to a fault, but for the first time, we’re starting to see him talk about maybe it’s time. ‘I’m going to buy a house in New York. I like New York.’ So, he’s kind of flirting around with it.”

Antetokounmpo, for his part, is still under contract with Milwaukee through 2026-27. He also has a player option worth $62 million for the following season. Still, the Wisconsin superstar’s loyalty is being tested by the team’s recent high-risk moves.

The Bucks’ desperate gamble that may cost them their MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo

While the Bucks aren’t looking to part ways with their franchise cornerstone—a player who recorded MVP-like numbers last year with 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 6.5 assists—their latest roster decisions are drawing sharp criticism. The team’s recent move to waive Damian Lillard and use a stretch provision on his contract, which adds a staggering $20 million in “dead money” to the Milwaukee Bucks’ payroll annually for the next five years, is being seen as a desperate gamble to keep Giannis happy.

On Hoops Talk, Allen Sliwa didn’t mince words, calling the move a full-blown Hail-Mary. He argued that the optics of the decision are terrible, making it seem less like a well-thought-out plan and more like an act of desperation. “It doesn’t come off like we know what we’re doing,” Sliwa said. “Bucks and Giannis aren’t any closer to winning an NBA championship. I think those days are over, and I think Giannis probably deep down inside knows that.” 

Milwaukee’s trade for Myles Turner may bolster the roster, but as Sliwa points out, it may not be enough to satisfy Giannis‘s championship-or-bust mentality. The stretched contract, a decision that will impact the team’s financial flexibility for half a decade, is a massive risk. If the new-look Bucks fail to contend, the team will be saddled with a crippling financial burden and a frustrated superstar.

This is the very scenario that would force Antetokounmpo to revisit his “winner’s mentality” and look for a way out—a situation that has teams like the New York Knicks already monitoring his every move.

As to when they pull the trigger, it will be anyone’s guess for now.