The Big Lead

Forget LeBron James in 2018, Where is Giannis Antetokounmpo Going in 2021?

By Stephen Douglas

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LeBron James, Paul George and the rest of the summer 2018 free agency class? Forget about them right now. Those future decisions are already old news because it’s time to start thinking about where Giannis Antetokounmpo is going in 2021. Seriously.

Adrian Wojnarowski went on the “Russillo Show” on Wednesday and brought up The Greek Freak and where he’ll go when his current contract – which hasn’t even started yet – ends. Via The Sporting News:

"“Milwaukee’s going to go through this with the Greek Freak. That day’s coming, right? Where he’s going to look and say, ‘Where is this organization? What are they doing here?’ Like, you don’t think Giannis has been watching what went on there for the last several months? Of what they allowed to go on with the front office? He’s watching it. And the clock has started. Everybody in the league is trying to figure out how they are going to get him out of there. That has started.”"

Giannis just signed a 4-year, $102.9 million contract extension. That sounds like a contract that should keep Giannis happy, but he’s going to make less than Otto Porter and he is demonstrably better — in every single stat, advanced stat and eye test. Giannis Antetokounmpo might be the best bargain in the league right now.

He’ll be a 26-year old with eight years service time when he becomes a free agent and whatever the max is at that time, teams will line up to offer to give it to him. Wherever he wants to go. Denver? New York? Seattle? If Giannis said he wanted to play in Seattle someday, teams would start filing the paperwork tomorrow.

Stephen Curry’s $201 million deal will seem quaint when Giannis signs his next deal. Not to mention Curry will be 33-years old, Kevin Durant will be 32 and LeBron will be 36. Giannis is the present and the future. Maybe someone should ask him where he sees himself in five years.

What if LeBron really did go to Philadelphia and Giannis joined him so that the lineup was Joel Embiid and four point guards between 6’5″ and 6’11”? Could they beat the 2016 – 2017 Warriors? Will anyone even remember what that team looked like by then? And where is Michael Porter Jr. going when his contract ends in 2026? And will LeBron James Jr. return to Cleveland in 2033? Let’s not wait and see.