Giannis Antetokounmpo: How the MVP has helped in attracting free agents

Giannis Antetokounmpo has been a key factor in the Milwaukee Bucks’ ability to land free agents throughout these past two seasons.

After almost a decade of free agency woes, Giannis Antetokounmpo has started to flip the script for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Playing in the small market of Milwaukee certainly poses its disadvantages, none more apparent than the franchise’s inability to land star free agents. The Bucks cannot offer players the luxurious setting of Los Angeles or the bright lights of New York, which has led them to dish out some hefty, often overpriced contracts to try and compensate.

The Milwaukee Bucks are becoming a more compelling free agent destination thanks to Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The Greek Freak is undoubtedly among the best players in the NBA today, and his stature is changing the narrative about Milwaukee. With Antetokounmpo at the helm, it appears that players have started viewing the small market Bucks as more than just a place to get an easy paycheck.

According to The Athletic’s Eric Nehm ($$), Giannis was an instrumental piece in bringing both Wesley Matthews and Kyle Korver to Milwaukee in the 2019 free agency period. Although Antetokounmpo does not like to think of himself as a pitchman, the departure of Malcolm Brogdon last offseason sparked a sense of urgency that he needed to help find a replacement.

Two players, in particular, that he pictured were Matthews and Korver because of their 3-point prowess. After making some phone calls to Matthews and joining Korver for a pair of workouts, Antetokounmpo’s persuasion sealed the deal in their commitment to Milwaukee.

Matthews detailed it as a sign of respect after Antetokounmpo called him, saying that the admiration from the MVP meant the most to him. Despite league-wide interest, both players knew Milwaukee was the place for them to contend for a championship after Giannis contacted them.

Korver and Matthews aside, some other noteworthy free agents the Bucks have pulled in are Brook Lopez, Ersan Ilyasova, Robin Lopez, and Marvin Williams, among others. While Antetokounmpo may not have been the sole reason for their signings, there is no doubt his presence is persuasive in its own right.

Even when Antetokounmpo is not actively recruiting, there have been some rumblings about players wanting to play alongside the two-time MVP.

There was talk last offseason that 10-time All-Star Chris Paul had some potential interest in coming to the Milwaukee Bucks. Although he was under contract and not a free agent, a player with Paul’s reputation showing interest in the small-market Bucks is universally unheard of.

Now with rumors that Antetokounmpo and Paul struck up a bond down in the bubble that sparked the cycle of rumors and interest in Paul coming to Milwaukee, is it possible Antetokounmpo flexes his growing influence to bring in the future Hall of Famer?

The Bucks organization has pushed back on going after Paul, but that wrinkle as well as Paul’s interest in playing with a contender like the Bucks adds the pressure to make such a swing. But that’s just pure speculation at this point.

As the Bucks firmly sit in offseason mode, only time will tell if they will be able to bring in some more well-recognized free agents in the near future. Hopefully, Giannis Antetokounmpo can once again make a few compelling phone calls as the Bucks gear up for a title run next season.