Bucks Owner Wants Giannis Future Decided Before Draft

Last Updated on May 28, 2026 1:45 AM CDT

After winning the 2021 NBA championship, the Milwaukee Bucks have tried desperately to get back to the mountain top. They’ve changed coaches and made ambitious player moves in hopes that they could maximize Giannis Antetokounmpo’s prime with the team that drafted him.

Unfortunately for the franchise and its fans, the Bucks have not been able to replicate the same level of success, and Antetokounmpo’s patience with the front office has worn thin for the better part of the last few years.

While a divorce is not official and not mandatory, the Bucks franchise and its star player seem to be at an impasse. Milwaukee co-owner Jimmy Haslam made himself clear earlier this month, stating that he doesn’t want this situation to linger over the team any longer than it has to.

The story that never ends could actually end by early summer. Glorious. https://t.co/msGXpVHxwV

— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) May 6, 2026

“I just think before the draft is a natural time,” Haslam stated. “Because if Giannis does play somewhere else, we’ve got to have a lot of assets. That’s Jon’s (general manager Jon Horst) job to do. And if he’s here, then you build the team differently.”

The choice isn’t cut and dry for Antetokounmpo, either. If he stays with the Bucks, he’s eligible to sign a lucrative four-year, $275 million extension at the beginning of next season.

With that said, Milwaukee’s superstar has also previously stated that he wants to spend the rest of his career in a place that gives him the best chance to win another championship. The Bucks missed the playoffs in 2025-2026 for the first time in nine seasons.

Despite the perceived friction, Haslam believes that the Bucks’ front office and Antetokounmpo have been working well together in recent months.

“We never had any problem communicating directly with Giannis, at all, and always knew where he stood,” Haslam said. “And I think he always knew where we stood. We’ve had those kind of conversations since the season was over.”

Haslam also defined the timeline that he and the Bucks organization have in mind.

“So sometime over the next six or seven weeks, we’ll decide whether Giannis is going to sign a max contract and stay with us, or he’s going to play somewhere else. And Jon and Taylor (new coach Taylor Jenkins), along with Wes (co-owner Wes Edens) and myself will make that call, and we understand the gravity of that call.”

It’s been an interesting couple months for Antetokounmpo and the Bucks. Milwaukee elected to rest their star player down the stretch of the season, despite the fact that the All-Star and MVP player said he was healthy enough to suit up.

The Bucks have told NBA investigators that Giannis Antetokounmpo declined the opportunity to play 3-on-3 scrimmages as part of return protocol from a mid-March knee injury, per ESPN sources. Antetokounmpo told the league he is healthy enough to resume action. https://t.co/fNDC0pzzRo

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 4, 2026

The mixed signals got the NBA’s attention, and prompted an investigation around the Bucks about whether they were intentionally sitting him in order to potentially gain a more favorable selection in the 2026 NBA draft.

There was also a lot of smoke surrounding Antetokounmpo’s status with the Bucks around the trade deadline, as teams lined up to make offers. Despite the anticipation, no deal materialized, and Antetokounmpo remained with the only franchise he’s ever known.