With the Bucks currently leading one of their worst season starts in recent history, there is a lot of speculation going around the Wisconsin camp over what will become of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future, as he has said many times in the past that he just wants to play for a team that can contend for the NBA title.
Recent reports have been suggesting that The Greek Freak’s future in Milwaukee will depend entirely on his own desire to remain with the franchise. One of the first to the scene was NBA insider Marc Stein, who assured that interest teams don’t expect his club to show “any willingness to be traded unless the forward star decided to.
“It is understood quite clearly in 29 other front offices that Antetokounmpo is only ever going to be made available for trade if he pushes for it,” the journalist wrote this past Sunday, just as the Bucks lost against the reigning champions and increased their record to 2-7.
Giannis to the Brooklyn Nets???@BillSimmons breaks down why he thinks the Nets are the best option if the Bucks decide to trade Giannis Antetokounmpo. pic.twitter.com/Vm4q1KEiVg
— The Ringer (@ringer) November 11, 2024
The insider also talked about how the Milwaukee organization is trying to reverse this situation by improving their depth around co-stars Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. However, he wrote they’ve been “foiled more often than not” by restrictions over operating above the second tax apron.
On court, head coach Doc Rivers has also felt the need to shake up the squad and change his current rotation with talented wing Andre Jackson Jr. replacing shooting guard Gary Trent Jr. from last week’s starting lineup.
Last Thursday, this experiment worked as the Bucks earned a 23-point victory over the Jazz, but lost the following day 116 to 94 to the Knicks. After falling to this defeat, Giannis told the press that his team lacked of competitiveness and deserved to lose against New York.
“At the end of the day, we’ve got to compete,” Antetokounmpo said, per ESPN’s Chris Herring. “Teams are not just going to give us games. They’re not going to feel bad for us. We’ve got to compete every single possession. Every loose ball, we’ve got to get a body on the floor and put it on the line. But we didn’t compete at all.”
Celtics rival Jaylen Brown calls Antetokounmpo a ‘child’ after Giannis faked handshake during this past weekend’s clash
During the second quarter of Boston’s 113-107 victory this past Sunday, Antetokounmpo offered a handshake to rival Jaylen Brown, but suddenly faked it right before the Celtics star extended his hand to greet him. The situation came right after the Bucks forward had been whistled for an offensive foul.
The Milwaukee All-Star pulled his hand back and ran it through his hair just as JB had reached out, and then laughed with a smile on his face, before reaching his hand again. Only this time, Brown shaked his head and didn’t accept his second try.
Once the game came to an end, the press was all over Jaylen about this play. “Giannis is a child,” Brown said after the match, in which he scored 14 points, won 5 rebounds and handed out 4 assists. “I’m just focused on helping my team get a win. And that’s what we did tonight.”
The media told Giannis what he said about him during the postgame interview, and he was surprised by his rival’s reaction. The Bucks player then explained that he was just trying to poke some fun out of the contest, as he has already joked with JB in the past.
“We always joke around with the flow of the game,” Antetokounmpo expressed after another frustrating defeat. “It’s something that I do to my kids, I play around. This is who I am. I play the game with fun, joy.”
