NBA Swing: Could 2024-25 be Giannis’ Last Season in Milwaukee?

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Since winning the NBA Championship in 2021, the Milwaukee Bucks have been one of the unluckiest teams in the league. The Bucks would lose in the second round of the 2022 playoffs to the Boston Celtics and would lose in the first round of the 2023 and 2024 playoffs. Injuries would play a significant role in their early playoff exist, with Khris Middleton being out in 2022 and Giannis being out in both 2023 and 2024.

As the 2024-25 season is just under a week away, there is no team under more pressure than the Bucks. Speaking with Sam Amick of The Athletic, Giannis Antetokounmpo spoke on the possibility of being traded if the Bucks do not win the 2025 NBA Championship:

“Do you have it in the back of your mind, like, ‘(What) if this year doesn’t go well?’ Yeah, if we don’t win a championship, I might get traded. Yeah, this is the job we live. This is the world we’re living in. It’s everybody.”

The 2023-24 season was an up-and-down season for Milwaukee. Damian Lillard would be traded to the Bucks in a blockbuster trade right before training camp started. The Bucks would get off to a hot start under new head coach Adrian Griffin, but with rumblings of frustration from players off the court, Griffen would be fired just over halfway through the season. The Bucks would be 30-13 and second in the East at the time of his firing. The Bucks would eventually sign Doc Rivers as their new head coach, who would lead them to a 17-19 record in the 36 games he coached.

Khris Middleton would miss a significant amount of time, averaging just over 15 PPG. Damian Lillard would only miss nine games but would take a significant step back during his first year in Milwaukee. Dame’s stats would drop from 32.2 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 7.3 APG to 24.3 PPG, 4.4 RPG, and 7.0 APG. In February, Lillard would comment on his transition from Portland to Milwaukee, having to adjust to not having family and friends around, as well as having to adjust to playing with Giannis.

For Giannis, he would have another career year. The Greek Freak would average 30.4 PPG, 11.5 RPG, and 6.5 APG in 73 games. Antetokounmpo would finish top five in MVP voting for the sixth season in a row. At the end of the 2023-24 season, Antetokounmpo would suffer a hamstring injury that would cause him to miss the Bucks first-round series against the Indiana Pacers with Damian Lillard missing the end of the series as well.

In the 2024 offseason, the Bucks would make very little moves while their competitors in the East would only get stronger. The team would sign Taurean Prince, Gary Trent Jr, and Delon Wright as free agents. With the Bucks in the second apron and well over the salary cap, the team was unable to make any significant moves this offseason and won’t be able to for years to come.

While the Bucks have youth on the roster, the focus of the team is on their aging veterans. Damian Lillard is 34 and has had a history of injuries in recent years. Khris Middleton is 33 and his injuries have left him far from the player he was just a couple of seasons ago. Big man Brook Lopez is 36 and may only have a few years left in the tank. Giannis, on the other hand, is only 29 years old and is still in his prime.

Ahead of the 2024-25 season, the Milwaukee Bucks have the 8th best odds to win the 2025 NBA Championship, via FanDuel Sportsbook. With teams like the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, and Philadelphia 76ers all getting better this offseason, many believe the Bucks championship window has already closed.

In the same report from Sam Amick, it would be reported that rival NBA executives are hoping the Bucks fail during the 2024-25 season, with Giannis forcing his way out of Milwaukee being a result of their failure. Giannis has been linked to several teams in recent seasons, with the Golden State Warriors being the most recent team linked to a potential trade for him.

With the start of the 2024-25 season under a week away, there are questions about the Bucks immediate future. Khris Middleton is currently out still recovering from ankle surgeries, and it is unknown if he’ll be ready for the start of the season as he will miss the team’s last preseason game against the Dallas Mavericks. During the Bucks media day, Giannis would tell reporters that he and Dame did not work out together during the summer, which has resulted in many questioning their chemistry.

For Milwaukee, the 2024-25 season is a make-or-break season for the team. Entering his 11th season in the league and with the Bucks, Giannis could be playing his last season with the team. There is very little the team could do in the offseason, resulting in much of last year’s team being brought back. With Doc River’s recent coaching history, there is concern about how he’ll lead the team for a full season. What is known is that over the course of the season, all eyes will be closely monitoring Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks.