It’s official: The Milwaukee Bucks are eliminated from the postseason.

That, however, feels much more like the light just turned green on the speculation about Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future in the city.

After being blown out by the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday behind a Stephon Castle triple-double, Milwaukee is now 9.5 games back of the No. 10 seed Charlotte Hornets with nine games remaining in the season. The Bucks are eliminated.

Highlights: Castle earns triple-double vs. Bucks

Stephon Castle was all over the court in Milwaukee, helping San Antonio get a win with 22 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

Bucks coach Doc Rivers talked about being eliminated postgame.

Will being eliminated change Antetokounmpo’s plan to try to return to the court this season once he recovers from a left knee hyperextension that led to a bone bruise? The Bucks front office has wanted him to shut it down both because of that injury and the lingering other ones that have limited him to 36 games this season, plus they should be focusing on the best draft position possible. But Antetokounmpo’s push to return was always more performative and about how he views himself, so that fight may not be over.

Milwaukee missing these playoffs started last playoffs, when Damian Lillard tore his Achilles and was going to miss this season entirely because of it. That led to a desperation move by the Bucks front office, waiving and stretching the more than $112 million remaining on his contract over five years, freeing up the money to sign Myles Turner as a free agent. He did not live up to expectations for the Bucks this season.

The question now becomes, will Antetokounmpo agree to a max extension with the Bucks this offseason (something he can’t sign until Oct. 1, but the talks will happen much earlier)? The Bucks’ front office will explore trading more draft picks and players to upgrade the roster, but will that be enough for Antetokounmpo to see a contender and stay? The expectation in league circles is that he will tell the Bucks he will not sign an extension with them — not asking for a trade directly (something he has said he would never do) but essentially forcing the Bucks to deal him or lose him for nothing in a year — and the sides working to find him a new home this offseason.

Let the Antetokounmpo offseason speculation begin.