The Milwaukee Bucks have been operating as if Giannis Antetokounmpo could request a trade at any time. Yet, that doesn’t appear to be their reality. In fact, there may not be anything further from the truth.
“NBA is business,” Antetokounmpo tells COSMOTE TV (h/t Ashish Mathur of Hoops Wire).
“If I got traded, I would do my job, but I don’t think that I would ever text (and ask for a trade). I am not this kind of guy. They would have to kick me out. A lot of people don’t know me… (or) know me through things that they read or they watch me on TV. A lot of people see what other players do and assume I might do the same. But I’m going to be very honest with you, I’ve done what I said I would do since Day 1. And it hasn’t changed.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Double-Speak Takes Pressure Off Bucks Front Office
For those who have noted the times Antetokounmpo has teased his potential departure from Milwaukee, these comments may not hold much weight. Giving good guys the benefit of the doubt is the rule of thumb. Nevertheless, it’s difficult to reconcile him saying that he (probably) wouldn’t ever really request a trade when there’s been ample conversation about the possibility he leaves the Bucks if they’re not competitive enough to win a championship.
Can Giannis stay healthy? Can Dame have a bounce-back season? Will Doc be able to bring them all together?
There is serious pressure in Milwaukee this season, and Giannis knows it as much as anyone.
“Yeah, if we don’t win a championship, I might get traded,” he tells…
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) October 16, 2024
Indeed, it was just 18 months ago when Antetokounmpo explicitly refused to sign a contract extension with the Bucks until he was sure “everybody’s on the same page” and “everybody’s going for a championship,” per The New York Times reporter Tania Ganguli.
In case he wasn’t clear, he doubled-down and then tripled-down on that sentiment.
“As long as we’re on the same page with that and you show me and we go together to win a championship, I’m all for it,” Antetokounmpo says.
“At the end of the day, being a winner, it’s over that goal (of playing for one franchise his entire career),” he adds. “Winning a championship comes first. I don’t want to be 20 years on the same team and don’t win another championship.”
However, in his COSMOTE TV interview, the two-time NBA MVP had a more even-keeled take on title contention:
“Now at the end of the day, I’m not going to be given a championship, but I have the opportunity. Some people don’t even have the opportunity to wake up and think about a championship or think about going out there and competing in an NBA game.”
With that being said, it’s difficult to see where Antetokounmpo really stands.
A Sigh Of Relief?
If Antetokoumpo did ever want to leave, perhaps he would play out his contract and sign with another franchise as a free agent. Yet, because of the millions that superstars can lose when switching teams, it would be more lucrative for him to be traded. That isn’t to say that he’s money-driven. Nonetheless, a man with a wife and three kids isn’t going to ignore that factor.
What is clear is that he’s taken the pressure off of the Bucks front office. One could argue that the only reason they traded for Damian Lillard and Kyle Kuzma, sacrificing their defensive foundation for offensive firepower, was to convince Antetokoumpo they’re serious about winning championships.
Of course, the franchise does want to raise another banner. Yet, they may be more hesitant to make risky trades. Why should they put the cart in front of the horse if their stallion isn’t going to go anywhere?
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