Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo Talks Future With Team After Accepting MVP Award
Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo was named the NBA MVP for the second straight year on Friday.
In taking home the trophy, he becomes the third active player with multiple MVP awards, joining Lakers forward LeBron James and Warriors guard Steph Curry.
James finished second in the 2020 MVP voting, followed by Rockets guard James Harden, Mavericks guard Luka Doncic and Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard.
Antetokounmpo accepted the award from Athens, Greece, where he is currently spending time with family.
In an interview with TNT's Ernie Johnson, Antetokounmpo, a free agent after the 2020-21 NBA season, also weighed in on his future.
“As long as everybody’s on the same page and as long as everybody’s fighting for the same thing, fighting for the same thing every single day, which is to be a champion, I don’t see why not to be in Milwaukee for the next 15 years,” Antetokounmpo said.
On Sept. 10, The Athletic's Shams Charania reported that the Bucks are planning to offer Antetokounmpo the five-year super-max extension as soon as free agency begins.
While the start of free agency reportedly has been delayed from mid-October and no new date is set, the super-max deal would be worth five years and more than $230 million, if the salary cap remains projected at $115 million.
Following the Bucks' loss to the Heat in the Eastern Conference semifinals, he was asked whether he might request a trade from the franchise.
“It’s not happening. That’s not happening," the he told Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes.
Prior to departing to Greece, Antetkounmpo also met with members of the Bucks' ownership to discuss his future with the franchise.
"When the time comes that we're going to talk about contract, that we're going to talk about long-term future with Milwaukee, that's gonna be that time, that's gonna be that moment," he said. "But right now I want to keep getting better. I want to focus on my family."