Giannis Antetokounmpo is going to enter a very crucial stage of his NBA career with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Reports at the start of the offseason suggested that Giannis Antetokounmpo was considering options other than the Milwaukee Bucks.
Just over two months later, no update has been given on his future and it looks likely that he will continue playing for the Bucks.
The franchise waived All-Star guard Damian Lillard to make room for the arrival of Myles Turner. Not many were pleased with the move, as it does not really push the Bucks to championship contention.
One thing clear is that Antetokounmpo will have to play more with the ball next season as they do not have a solid point guard with Lillard now gone.
The Greek national is tipped to win the MVP award as he is expected to put up brilliant numbers for the Bucks, but Tim Bontemps believes there is another condition if that has to happen.
Giannis Antetokounmpo will have to play 75 games or more to win MVP award
Antetokounmpo has had injuries during playoffs for several years now and this is one of the reasons behind the Bucks’ recent struggles.
He has been solid in the regular season, but last played over 75 games in 2017.
With the team already lacking options, the Bucks will need Antetokounmpo not only to be at his best, but also to be available for all their games.
Tim Bontemps stated that Antetokounmpo could average ‘astronomical numbers,’ but he believed that the Greek Freak would have to play over 75 games and lead the team to a respective finish in the Eastern Conference to win the MVP award.
He said: “If Giannis can play 75+ games, which he obviously has not done in a long time, he’s got a chance to win the MVP because he’s going to put up astronomical numbers and if he does that they could finish 3rd or 4th, they could win a lot of games and he could get a lot of credit for that sort of like the Russell Westbrook MVP season, it’s not exactly the same, but it’s got some parallels.
“That’s assuming he can hold up under that load of playing time and player usage cause he had an insane usage down the stretch of the season and any game he misses, they’re probably gonna be pretty heavy favorites to lose.”
Antetokounmpo will be key to their chances
Antetokounmpo has been solid for the Bucks since they drafted him. The player has averaged a double-double for eight years now and during this time has won multiple individual awards.
He also helped the Bucks win their first championship in 50 years, but since then things have not looked great for the franchise.
Their core players kept getting injured by the time of the playoffs, which led to early round exits, but through it all Antetokounmpo has been brilliant.
Next season, the Bucks are not likely to have the best record in the East, but with Antetokounmpo on their side, they still are going to be a difficult side to beat.
The two-time MVP will be the player to watch out for, but the Bucks also have the likes of Turner and Kyle Kuzma, who have a lot to prove next season.
If both of these players perform well for the team, the Bucks could have a chance to make a deep playoff run in the East.
