Loyalty isn’t exactly common in the world of professional basketball, with top players routinely traded to other teams in exchange for new players. Line-up changes are all too frequent, which can be a blessing in some cases and a curse in others. One of the star players for the Milwaukee Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo, has found himself the subject of transfer rumors of late. A question most Bucks fans want to know: “What’s up with Giannis’ future?”
This is part of what makesonline betting appealing, the fact that there are regular changes. Whenever there’s a new player, a team’s odds of winning can improve or even decrease, depending on the player’s past performance and stats. So what went on with the Bucks during the 2025 NBA Playoffs?
Playoff Performance
Unfortunately, the Bucks didn’t make it to the 2025 NBA Finals. The two teams that are competing are the Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers and the Western Conference champion Oklahoma City Thunder. The last time the Bucks were the Eastern Conference champion was in the 2021-22 season, when they won the NBA Finals 4-1 against the Phoenix Suns.
In fact, the Bucks performed quite poorly during the playoffs, getting knocked out in the first round after losing 4-1 to the Indiana Pacers. This is the third consecutive time this has happened, which has obviously made people talk and question what has been going on.
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Performance
Nigerian-Greek professional basketball player Giannis Antetokounmpo is regarded by many as the star player of the Bucks. He’s statistically the best member of the team, earning the highest stats in multiple categories.
In the 2025 Playoffs, for example, he currently has the highest average number of points (33) and rebounds (15.4) across five games played. Even though he’s known for being an exceptional player and a particularly skillful power forward, his talent hasn’t been enough to take the Bucks beyond the first round.
Damian Lillard’s Injury
Something that could have cost the Bucks a better result in the playoffs was the sudden and very unfortunate injury of Damian Lillard. Before the playoffs began, it was announced that Lillard had recovered from a case of deep vein thrombosis in his right calf and would increase his court activity.
However, on 27 April he suffered an injury, which an MRI scan later revealed to be a torn Achilles tendon. This put him out of action for the rest of the season and may even prevent him from taking part in the 2025-26 season as well. The addition of Lillard was meant to complement Antetokounmpo, make the team more competitive, and hopefully boost its chances of securing a playoff win.
A Change in Strategy
With Lillard out of action for an unknown amount of time, the team clearly has to pivot and change its approach. But will it do this or does it plan to double down on its current strategy and build a team around Antetokounmpo?
It seems that for the time being at least, Antetokounmpo is very much the focus (providing he stays loyal, which is likely). There’s a chance that following on from the poor performance at the playoffs, the Bucks might end up making some significant changes to its roster, backing new players to help the team succeed where it’s been failing recently.
Doc Rivers’ Coaching Decisions
Naturally, there have been concerns about Doc Rivers, the current coach of the Bucks, and the direction he’s been taking the team in. While it’s down to the players what happens on the court, the coach has to take some accountability when things go wrong.
Even though Rivers is an esteemed former player and coach with a wealth of experience, he hasn’t managed to steer the Bucks toward greater success. Yes, there was the unexpected injury of Damian Lillard that would have disrupted things, but the Bucks should still have performed better than the previous two years.
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Apr 27, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers reacts in the third quarter against the Indiana Pacers during game four of first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
Time to Refocus
It’s clear that there’s a lot of work to be done if the Bucks are to have a decent shot at victory in the 2026 Playoffs. Even if Antetokounmpo stays and Lillard makes a complete recovery, there’s no telling if the team will make it any further past the first round. What is sure to encourage the team to refocus is the fact that out of the five matches the Bucks played against the Indiana Pacers, they only won one.
For the one match they did win, they won by 16 points. Having said that, there was another match where the score was incredibly close, with a 1-point difference between the final scores of the Bucks and Pacers. In this final match of the five, the Bucks managed to blow two leads, one of four points and the other of seven points, something that they’ll no doubt want to avoid in the future.
What’s Next for Giannis Antetokounmpo? Giannis’ Future
With the Bucks getting knocked out at the first round of the playoffs for the third year in a row, things are certainly not looking good for the team. Given what’s happened, it wouldn’t be surprising if some of its players expressed an interest in joining another team. Others would undoubtedly want to remain loyal to their team.
Antetokounmpo has expressed his desire to stay with the Bucks and help bring the championship back to Milwaukee. He’s been with the Bucks since 2011 and appears to have unwavering loyalty to the team. Despite future prospects not looking the best, Antetokounmpo is remaining optimistic. He’s keen to bring the team back to its former glory, but he can’t do that all on his own.
If a few more seasons go by and the Bucks aren’t victorious, would Antetokounmpo be as committed as he is today? Or would he switch to another team that has a better chance of winning the playoffs? His mind seems to be made up for now, but there’s no telling if or when he might change it. Whatever Giannis’ future has in store, Bucks fans aren’t ready for that ride to end.
main image credit: © Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images