Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis is confident that his superstar teammate, Giannis Antetokounmpo, will stay put this offseason. Portis told ESPN Milwaukee that he doesn’t picture the two-time MVP asking for a trade amid speculation about his NBA future.
“Yeah, I talk to Giannis all the time. That’s my teammate,” Portis said. “Giannis bleeds green. That’s all I can say.”
Bobby Portis Believes Bucks Can Win Another Championship
Portis was completely baffled by ESPN’s Shams Charania’s report about Antetokounmpo being “open-minded” about playing elsewhere, as the Bucks are still a championship contender.
“I mean, what’s wrong with our team? Why can’t we do it this year? The only thing wrong with us is people being hurt,” Portis said. “We win the championship. 2022 came in and we go down. We lose Game 7 to Boston. 2023, first round, Giannis tries to dunk on [Kevin] Love, comes down, hurts his back.
“We don’t have big fella. 2024, Giannis hurts his leg against the Celtics in the regular season and then, doesn’t play another game. Then, coming back this year, we haven’t been really healthy. I don’t make excuses but that’s just what the tables was for us.”
During a live stream with IShowSpeed last month, Antetokounmpo told fans that he planned to stay with the Bucks.
“Probably. Probably, we’ll see. Probably, I love Milwaukee,” Antetokounmpo said when asked if he would play in Milwaukee this season.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Continues To Evaluate Future
Earlier this month, Charania reported that while Antetokounmpo has yet to ask for a trade, the 12-year veteran might not be fully committed to the Bucks at this point of his playing career.
“Sources tell me 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,” Charania said.
“I reported it in mid-May that he’s evaluating whether his best fit is in Milwaukee or is it elsewhere. And that process is continuing. There’s been some very real conversations over the last week or so.
“The constant question that Giannis has, though, is, ‘Can I win a championship with this roster? Is this roster going to be one for this upcoming year and 2026-27?’ He wants to win a second championship.”
Antetokounmpo Can Become A Free Agent In 2027
Team president Peter Feigin also said last month that both sides are “in a good place.”
“We kind of laugh internally, it’s where we’ve been for 10 years,” Feigin said on NBA TV. “Giannis loves Milwaukee, Milwaukee loves Giannis. We’re in a good place. We feel great about it. It’s business as usual… We’re looking forward to next season.”
Per Spotrac, Antetokounmpo remains under contract through 2027-28, but he can become a free agent in the 2027 offseason if he declines his $62.8 million player option.
In 67 games (all starts) with the Bucks last season, Giannis averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.2 blocks, and 34.2 minutes per contest while shooting 60.1% from the floor.
