Mascots dance. Confetti rains. But in Milwaukee, the only thing that really matters after Damian Lillard’s exit is: Will Giannis Antetokounmpo stay or stray? The Bucks front office hit the gas this offseason—waving off Damian Lillard, locking in Myles Turner, and doubling down on Bobby Portis Jr. and Gary Trent Jr. It’s a gutsy shuffle, built for now. But the truth is, none of it hits the same without No. 34 in green and cream. When Giannis is in limbo, everything else feels like background noise.

Since their 2025 Playoffs exit, Jon Horst & Co. have been living in an odd fear. Well, you cannot particularly call it odd when the Greek Freak comes up with an “I am considering my future elsewhere” stance. And honestly, everything in Milwaukee right now seems enough to feed into the Lakers’ GM, Rob Pelinka, hopeful delusion. But then, Horst’s latest interview with Eric Nehm of The Athletic is just adding more speculations.

Milwaukee has stitched Antetokounmpo into its soul, but even legends need a reason to stay. In a deep dive with The Athletic’s Eric Nehm, Bucks GM John Horst unpacked the offseason chessboard—Myles Turner, young core, bold moves. But when asked if it’s enough to win Giannis over, Horst shrugged with pride and mystery.

“And so, have we done enough? I don’t know. We’ll find out. Have we done everything that we possibly could? Absolutely,” the Bucks GM stated with conviction. “And have we done more than anyone else could possibly do? I believe we have. And that’s not an arrogant thing to say—in a very humble way, I think we’ve done as much or more than anyone else could possibly do. And I’m proud of that.” Translation? The ball’s in Giannis’ very large court.

Meanwhile, ESPN’s Jen Lada tore apart Giannis’ noncommittal stance, as she said, “He was not definitive. He was not locked in. He didn’t say, “I’m back,” right? Send a fax, for goodness’ sake. I’d be fine with that—Michael Jordanesque. He hasn’t. There’s been some wishy-washiness.” She went on: “There’s been some unwillingness to commit to that statement. I think when you pair that with John Horst’s comments, there is even more like, wait a minute— is this thing not as done a deal as I want to think it is? Is this thing not as done a deal as I have convinced myself it is? That’s just self-awareness.”

But let’s not forget, Giannis Antetokounmpo is locked into a $175,369,698 pact with Milwaukee, earning $58,456,566 a year and banking $54,126,450 in 2025-26 alone. Every time whispers rise about his exit, he shuts them down with loyalty. He’s already inked two massive extensions—one in 2020, another in 2023. With his contract stretching through 2027-28, the Greek Freak keeps choosing cream city cash and unfinished business over wandering headlines.

However, adding more suspense to the story, Jon Horst also shared insights about a private meeting in LA. Well, it all circulated around Kyle Kuzma, and how the front office is keeping their faith in him. But who knows if it was only Kuzma or something else!

Amidst Giannis Antetokounmpo’s uncertainty, Jon Horst is believing in Kyle Kuzma

Kuzma held the Larry O’Brien trophy close to his heart in 2020. He was a Laker then, only to be thrown in the trade’s guillotine because Rob Pelinka wanted to add Russell Westbrook to the roster. Experts of the league still believe that was the worst decision in LA’s history. That championship-winning core shouldn’t have been touched. Then, from the LA Lakers to Washington to Milwaukee, the 29-year-old forward has experienced a roller-coaster ride.

Last season was nothing but lackluster for Kuzma. Yet, “We still believe in Kyle. He struggled. He hadn’t been to the playoffs in a while either,” Jon Horst confessed to Eric Nehm. “And I thought he played great for us for most of the regular season after we acquired him, and I think he struggled in the playoffs. And he would tell you that. Doc and I have already gone to L.A. to spend time with him. Doc’s gonna spend time with him again.”

Simply put, Horst sees gold in Kyle Kuzma. He believes a full offseason, proper reps at power forward, and time with Bucks coaches will unlock something special. It is all about rhythm, familiarity, and letting Kuzma thrive in a system built for him. Horst sounds confident. He calls Kuzma very, very good. And with the right minutes and the right fit, he expects Kuzma to explode this season.

Giannis holds the crown, but Kuzma might just hold the spark. Milwaukee’s front office is playing the long game, blending mystery, loyalty, and a splash of chaos. Horst believes the recipe is right. Whether the Greek Freak signs off or stirs more suspense, one thing’s clear—the Bucks are rolling the dice with confidence, and Kyle Kuzma is right at the center of their gamble.