LeBron James: Lakers told of surprise target instead of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George

The future of Giannis Antetokounmpo with the Milwaukee Bucks is one of the most critical things being monitored by rival teams. Antetokounmpo committed to the Bucks with an extension entering the 23-24 season following their trade for Damian Lillard. Antetokounmpo didn’t play during the Bucks’ first round exit to the Indiana Pacers last year.

“They are very closely monitoring how this situation goes in Milwaukee,” said Shams Charania on First Take. “How he looks. How he plays.”

“These are the conversations Shams and I have when we talk to people in the league,” said Brian Windhorst. “When Shams and I are talking to people in the league, this is what they’re talking about. They’re talking about what’s going to happen with Giannis. What’s going to happen with the Bucks. How are the Bucks going to be this year? Are they going to be good enough where Giannis is going to stay committed?”

Antetokounmpo cannot become a free agent until 2017.

As part of the NBA’s ongoing collective bargaining agreement talks with the NBPA, a stipulation is being discussed that a player must play in a minimum number of regular season games to be eligible for major awards, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Both sides are in agreement on tying major awards to games played over the course of the season, sources said.

There’s already one precedent that the parties can point to, where a player must appear in at least 58 games to qualify for the league’s scoring title.