As Giannis Antetokounmpo appears increasingly likely to play out his 13th season with the Milwaukee Bucks, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, Tim Bontemps, and Tim MacMahon previewed what lies ahead. The trio was largely skeptical about the superstar forward’s prospects of guiding what many consider a lackluster roster sans Damian Lillard to notable success in the 2025-26 campaign.
Antetokounmpo’s future in Milwaukee was a major storyline early this offseason amid reports that he was evaluating his best options. However, as September rolls around, with the two-time MVP preoccupied with leading Greece at EuroBasket 2025, speculation has cooled.
Instead, Antetokounmpo seems poised to suit up with the Bucks’ new-look roster after the franchise stunningly waived Lillard in early July amid his left Achilles rehab. While the move created the flexibility to sign floor-spacing rim protector Myles Turner in free agency, Milwaukee’s Lillard-less backcourt still arguably leaves much to be desired.
Why Does Tim Bontemps Think Giannis Antetokounmpo Is Facing a Heavy Workload?
On Friday’s episode of “Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective,” Windhorst observed that Antetokounmpo is “very much planted on the Bucks.” The analyst added that Milwaukee’s goals for next season should be to target a “top-four seed and make sure that Giannis and [its] core players are healthy in April.”
However, Bontemps wasn’t nearly as bullish, citing the team’s expected “eighth or ninth-place” Eastern Conference finish. According to the pundit, Antetokounmpo’s greatness can’t mask the Bucks’ roster deficiencies, and the team is unlikely to remain competitive if he misses considerable time due to injury.
“Their roster’s not very good,” Bontemps said (Timestamp: 15:44). “They’re putting a massive burden on Giannis to be the sole engine of their team for 82 games, and any game Giannis doesn’t play, they’ve got a bottom-five [or] six roster.”
Bontemps and Co. continued to discuss Antetokounmpo’s waning durability, noting that he has played fewer than 70 games in five of the last six seasons. Afterward, MacMahon concurred that Milwaukee’s outlook without a reliable backcourt playmaker is shaky at best.
“So, you’re telling me he’s going to need to play likely more minutes and harder minutes, being not just the primary facilitator but pretty damn close to the sole facilitator?” MacMahon asked rhetorically.
“Look, Giannis might have an MVP season again next year. That’s certainly within the realm of possibility, but, man, he’s over 30 now. Like, are they gonna try to play him 36-38 minutes [per game]?”
The Bucks are coming off a 48-win campaign and a first-round playoff exit. Meanwhile, the Eastern Conference is anticipated to be wide open, with the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers navigating significant injuries.
Still, they may need to improve upon their projected starting backcourt of journeymen Kevin Porter Jr. and Gary Trent Jr. to separate themselves from the pack.