Giannis Antetokounmpo may have already played his final game with the Milwaukee Bucks. After years of sticking with the franchise, Antetokounmpo seems likely to be traded before the Thursday deadline.
Over the years, Antetokounmpo has shown incredible loyalty to the organization, re-signing multiple times when many expected he would leave and join a franchise with more superstar talent. Every time he’s asked, Antetokounmpo always expresses his commitment to both the team and city.
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But he also sees the writing on the wall.
With the trade deadline fast approaching, Antetokounmpo gave multiple interviews to local reporters reiterating his feeling toward the city of Milwaukee while also acknowledging that it’s probably time for him to be shipped off to another franchise.
Antetokounmpo spoke to both the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel and The Athletic ahead of the deadline, providing similar quotes to both outlets about his current situation.
When asked about leaving the Bucks, Antetokounmpo laid out all the reasons why he doesn’t want to leave Milwaukee. He mentioned that his children were born in the city, his dad was buried in the city and his mom owns a house in the city. “On what planet, on what Earth, would somebody want to leave this,” Antetokounmpo expressed.
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When asked what he would prefer moving forward, Antetokounmpo said he wanted to remain a Buck for the rest of his life … but with a significant caveat: The team needs to be able to win a championship.
With the team sitting at 19-29 entering play Wednesday, Antetokounmpo knows that’s not a possibility.
“Brother, if you ask me deep down what I want today, I want to be a Milwaukee Buck for the rest of my career,” Antetokounmpo said. “I want to win here, another championship. And if you can tell me that’s possible, let’s just hang up the phone.
“You know basketball. You see basketball. You understand basketball. You’ve been around greatness. You’ve been around a championship team. You’ve been around a good culture. You’ve been around when the popcorn was popping. You were around; you saw it. If you tell me that that’s possible, we can hang up the phone and keep on moving with our day.”
It’s not the first time this season Antetokounmpo has been critical of the team’s play. In January, he called out teammates, saying the Bucks were being “selfish” on the court.
And while Antetokounmpo has still never officially requested a trade away from the Bucks, he made it clear he doesn’t want to play for a team where he’s “fighting for my life to make the playoffs.”
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That’s a good description of the Bucks this season. If Antetokounmpo stuck it out, the Bucks would still be in a tough spot the rest of the way. And if the team rallied down the stretch to make the postseason, it likely wouldn’t be seeded high. Barring an incredible turnaround and a superhuman effort from Antetokounmpo, it’s tough to see the Bucks winning multiple playoff series against higher-rated teams in that scenario.
For that reason, it seems likely Antetokounmpo is on his way out. He not only seems open to the deal, but it might be the best thing for the Bucks’ franchise at this point. Milwaukee stands to gain a number of draft picks or talented, young players in an Antetokounmpo trade. That could help the team rebuild much faster.
Still, it would be a sad end for Antetokounmpo and the team. No player has defined loyalty in this era more than Antetokounmpo. Seeing him leave the Bucks feels wrong, even if it’s the best thing for both sides at this point.
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