For the first time in my career! It was revealed that Brother Alphabet is open to leaving Milwaukee and multiple teams will ask the Bucks for an offer

On May 12, Beijing time, according to Shams of the Register, this week, the decision-makers of the 30 NBA teams gathered in Chicago for a draft joint tryout. During this period, they will have a substantive discussion around the biggest unknown and the most critical "domino" of the offseason - the Bucks' alphabet brother.

League sources have revealed to ESPN that the two-time NBA MVP has yet to make any definitive decisions about his future with the Bucks after the Bucks went out in the first round for the third time in a row.But for the first time in his career, he is open to exploring the best place for his long-term development, whether it's staying in Milwaukee or switching to another team.

Teams have had multiple regular contacts with the Bucks over the years about the possibility of a trade for Antetokounmpo, and teams are expected to ramp up their due diligence during the joint trial week, according to league sources.

However, any discussion surrounding the perennial NBA-of-All-NBA superstar, the 2021 NBA champion, must first clarify where he sees his long-term future and whether there is a team other than Milwaukee that would be a smart choice for him. The Bucks and Antetokounmpo agents George Os Panu and Alex Salazis are expected to meet in the offseason to discuss the future, sources said.

For the rest of the league, executives, coaches and players know that the future of Antetokounmpo will reshape the league and have a profound impact on all 30 teams. From Monday night's lottery draw to June's draft, Antetokounmpo's trade prospects have been a central focus of the league's dynamics.

This past season was one of the best of his career. He played in 67 games, averaging 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game while shooting 60 percent from the field and finishing in the top three in the MVP poll. This is the second season in a row that he has achieved the feat of "30+10+5" per game with a 60% shooting percentage, and no other player in NBA history has achieved even once.

In the playoffs, he was even better, ascaling his stats to 33.0 points, 15.4 rebounds and 6.6 assists against the Indiana Pacers, but the Bucks still lost to their opponents with a 1-4 record.

According to ESPN, the Bucks have had a 66.3% win rate since the 2018-19 season, the highest in the league during the same period. However, since winning the championship in 2021, the Bucks have only won one series in the playoffs. He has also repeatedly stated that he is eager to win multiple championships in his career.

Last month, while co-starring with his brother Sanassis on the "ThanalysisShow" podcast, he said, "Not being able to win a second championship, looking back on your career, other people might say, 'Wow, this is an incredible career, Hall of Famer, first-round selection, whatever.'" But for me personally, if I can't help the team win another title, then I've failed myself. ”

The 30-year-old was drafted by the Bucks in 2013 and spent all of his 12-year career with the team, during which time he received numerous honors, including Finals MVP, Best Defensive Player, Most Improved Player, and a nine-time All-Star.

While his future was in doubt, he signed two contract extensions with the Bucks — a super-max contract in 2020 and a contract extension in 2023. His current contract runs through the 2026-27 season, with a $62.8 million player option for the 2027-28 season.

But this summer, his career with the Bucks could be a major turning point. After making the playoffs nine times in a row and completing two major point guard trades, the team's resources are stretched thin. Internally, the Bucks believe they have more room to maneuver than they have in the past few years because of the exception on the free market and a draft pick to trade.

Since being promoted to general manager of the Bucks in the summer of 2017, Jon Horst has helped the team win its first NBA championship in 50 years through a series of signings. He hired Mike Budenholzer as head coach, signed free agents Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis, and traded for PJ Tucker in three years.

Horst has also demonstrated a proven ability to broker significant deals at critical moments. When the team's championship strength declined and the prospect of a contract extension was unclear, he could always make a decisive move: in the 2020 offseason, the Bucks traded for Jrue Holiday in the 2020 offseason, which prompted Brother Alphabet to renew his contract for the first time and eventually won the championship; In 2023, Horst traded superstar Damian Lillard from the Portland Trail Blazers to successfully re-sign Antetokounmpo.

However, this offseason, the Bucks face a huge challenge in strengthening their roster. High-value tradable contracts are scarce, with multiple previous deals that have resulted in limited draft picks and a top-heavy salary structure.

The Bucks have seven players under contract next season: Antetokounmpo, Kyle Kuzma, AJ Green, Andre Jackson Jr., Chris Livingston, Tyler Smith, and Lillard. Lillard suffered a torn left Achilles tendon in Game 4 against the Pacers, and his prospects for the 2025-26 season are in doubt. Lillard will turn 35 in July and will earn a whopping $113 million over the next two years. Lopez, Portis (player option), Taurien Prince, Kevin Porter Jr. (player option) and Gary Trent II could all become free agents this summer.

Pat Connaughton also has until June 24 to decide whether to exercise his $9.4 million player option for next season. Next season, the trio of Antetokounmpo, Lillard and Kuzma will account for $130 million of the Bucks' total $164 million salary.

In addition, the Bucks are severely limited in trading first-round picks, with their next discretionary first-round pick coming in 2031 six years from now, and currently only trading for 2031 or 2032 first-round picks.

Getting Kuzma before the trade deadline drops the Bucks' salary below the second-best line, which could be crucial as the team evaluates options this summer.

Without counting Lopez's salary, the Bucks' salary is $23 million below the luxury tax line and $41 million below the second-highest level. If the Bucks re-sign the 37-year-old Lopez, use a $14.1 million non-local mid-class exception and complete the roster, they will be a luxury tax paying team for the sixth year in a row. The Bucks have paid $220 million in luxury tax since the 2019-20 season, and now team management needs to carefully consider whether it is worth continuing to pay high taxes next season with a limited roster.