It has been a wild week for Bucks fans.
First, Milwaukee was dumped out of the Eastern Conference second round at the hands of a hungry Miami Heat team. Then, the rumours started about reigning MVP and go-to guy Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future with the ball club.
He unfollowed all his teammates on Instagram mere days after their exit from the bubble, and headlines ran wild about potential moves to Miami, Toronto, and even the Golden State Warriors in the looming free agency period.
However, it seems the Bucks are not in on that plan. According to Adrian Wojnarowski from ESPN, Antetokounmpo had a three hour meeting on Friday with the Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry. Woj reported that the meeting made it clear to Giannis that the franchise was ready to move heaven and earth in order to surround him with the pieces required to win a championship. That includes a willingness to spend into the luxury tax to do so.
ESPN Sources: MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo's 3-hour lunch with Bucks co-owner/governor Marc Lasry on Friday covered the season, how Bucks can improve roster, Lasry confirming willingness to spend into luxury tax and agreement they’ll talk again after Giannis returns from a vacation.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 14, 2020
As it currently stands (looking to the 2020-21 season), the Bucks’ payroll is nudging around the $132.7 million luxury tax threshold mark – meaning any significant roster moves would inevitably push them up and over that limit.
The meeting supposedly also revolved around the contributing factors to the Bucks poor finish to the season, and started spitballing names and personnel that could be brought in in the offseason.
It is a pivotal off-season for Antetokounmpo and the Bucks, and his next move will be watched closely by many.
Woj reports that the Bucks will offer Antetokounmpo a super-max deal in the vicinity of $220 million and $250 million over five years when his contract expires at the end of next season. If Giannis was not to sign an extension with the Bucks, he would enter the 2021/22 as a free agent.