By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The Milwaukee Bucks officially set a firm deadline of June 23 to resolve the mounting uncertainty surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future.
During a packed introductory press conference on Wednesday, held before a capacity crowd of fans, co-owner Jimmy Haslam clarified that the organization will decide whether to trade the Greek Freak or continue building around him before the upcoming NBA draft. “I just think before the draft is a natural time, right, because if Giannis does play somewhere else, we ought to get a lot of assets,” he said.
This decisive stance marks a major shift for a front office that has spent the last year navigating constant trade speculation. While Haslam described the relationship with Antetokounmpo as ‘very positive’, he remained transparent about the possibility of a departure.
“It’s a big one. And you gotta get it right. And Jon knows it, and Wes knows it,” added Haslam, referring to general manager Jon Horst and fellow co-owner Wes Edens.
During the event, which served as the official introduction of 41-year-old Taylor Jenkins as the team’s new head coach, ownership confirmed that the roster’s cornerstone might not be present when the 2026-27 Regular Season begins.
“And we didn’t hold back with Taylor. We just said, listen, he may or may not be with us, so don’t come because of that, because you want to be straight up with people,” mentioned Haslam.
Meanwhile, the 31-year-old point forward has already traveled to Greece during the offseason to focus on various recovery and business projects.