The Bucks owner stated that he plans to decide Giannis Antetokounmpo's future before the draft.

Milwaukee Bucks owner Jimmy Haslam said Wednesday that the team plans to decide Giannis Antetokounmpo's future before the 2026 NBA draft.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, the 15th overall pick in the first round of the 2013 NBA draft, has played 13 seasons for the Milwaukee Bucks. He led the Bucks to the 2021 NBA championship and has won numerous accolades, including one Finals MVP, two regular season MVPs, seven All-NBA First Team selections, four All-Defensive First Team selections, one Defensive Player of the Year award, and ten All-Star appearances.

However, the Bucks' competitiveness has declined significantly since winning the championship in 2021. After being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for three consecutive seasons, they failed to even make the playoffs this season.

With the Bucks finishing the regular season with an 11th-place finish in the Eastern Conference, rumors about Giannis Antetokounmpo potentially leaving the team this summer have intensified. In his first press conference since Tyler Jenkins took over as Bucks head coach, Haslem stated unequivocally: "I think the time to deal with this is before the draft. If Giannis decides to leave, we have to make sure we get a lot of assets in return, and that's what General Manager Jon Horst is responsible for. If he stays, the way the team is built will be different."

"Giannis brought Milwaukee its second championship in franchise history, and its first in 50 years. He is an extraordinary player and an outstanding person. He is arguably one of the best basketball players in the world. We will make a decision that is in the best interests of him and the team. We do not yet know whether Giannis will stay with the team, but we will discuss this with him in the coming weeks."

"We've never had any problems communicating directly with Giannis. We've always been clear about his position, and he understands our thoughts. We've been having these conversations since the end of the season. As I said before, the draft is on June 23rd and 24th. So in the next six or seven weeks, we'll decide whether to keep Giannis with a max contract extension or let him play for another team. Jon Horst, Tyler Jenkins, Wes Edens, and I will make the decision together."

Giannis Antetokounmpo's future destination this summer remains undecided. According to a previous report by ESPN's Shams Charania, the New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, and Minnesota Timberwolves are all potential destinations for him. Recently, rumors have also surfaced that the Portland Trail Blazers and Boston Celtics have expressed strong interest in Giannis.

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