Report: Bucks Would Have Explored Giannis Trade Without Contract Assurances

Giannis Antetokounmpo agreed to sign a five-year extension with the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday, but the team could have been forced to trade him without a deal in place, according to Shams Charania, Eric Nehm, and Sam Amick of The Athletic.

Per The Athletic, the Bucks "would have seriously considered whether they needed to take trade calls on him" if there were no assurances from Antetokounmpo ahead of the season.

The two-time MVP could have become a free agent next summer, and Milwaukee might have been better off getting some return in a trade rather than letting him leave for free in the offseason.

Instead, the forward announced his intention to remain with the team:

The player's agent, Alex Saratsis, confirmed Antetokounmpo will make $228 million over five years as part of his supermax deal, via ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Even after a pair of disappointing playoff performances over the last two years, Milwaukee remains a top contender for the NBA title after finishing with the best record in the league in each of those seasons.

According to FanDuel, the Bucks have the second-best odds to win it all at +550 ($100 bet wins $550).

The addition of Jrue Holiday to a lineup that already includes Giannis, Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez and more could make this a difficult team to beat in 2020-21.

The Bucks acquired Holiday in a four-team deal last month. They mortgaged much of their future in the process, trading two future first-round picks along with two pick swaps. Losing Antetokounmpo for nothing likely would have set the team back for years.

Fortunately, the squad remains in good position with one of the top players in the NBA and a strong supporting cast.

Milwaukee opens the regular season against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on Dec. 23.