There is no doubt about that. Giannis Antetokounmpo intends to part ways with the Milwaukee Bucks with all seriousness. He has been very clear about what he wants. Anyone who thinks he is simply bluffing right now probably needs to get their reality straightened out.
You can hold Giannis to his word that he will leave the Bucks if they don’t win a title in the upcoming season (or two?).
A few NBA execs were recently interviewed by Fox Sports’ Ric Bucher to examine Antetokounmpo’s startling remarks. At least one unnamed insider thinks Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat are mostly to blame for Giannis’ shocking statement:
According to an Eastern Conference assistant general manager, “That happening to him in the first round is the reason for the stance he’s taking, which is, ‘I’m not saying I’m not coming back, but I need to see which team we are,'” “Are we an early exit team? Or are we actually a Finals squad that, by chance, fell short last year due to other factors in the first round? I absolutely agree with the assertion that they simply encountered an uncommon and unforeseen circumstance that led to their first-round defeat. This year, they may very possibly advance to the Finals or conference finals, and if that happens, Giannis may find it difficult to stay.
Last season, Milwaukee had enormous pressure, especially after they concluded the regular season with the best record in the NBA. This is precisely why Miami, who incidentally advanced all the way to the NBA Finals, was blamed for their heartbreakingly sad first-round exit at their expense.
According to this unnamed executive, Giannis looks to have been greatly frustrated by that series defeat and has vented some of his resentment on the Bucks by issuing a stern warning about his impending departure.
It would be an understatement to say that Giannis’ remarks shook the basketball community. Many believed that Antetokounmpo would emulate players like Kobe Bryant and Dirk Nowitzki by sticking with the same team for the entirety of his 20-year career before he announced his intention to leave. Although this is still a possibility, it is now extremely likely that the former MVP and back-to-back champion will leave Milwaukee.
In the eyes of one competing Eastern Conference general manager, Giannis was justified in his decision to essentially criticize the Bucks:
The general manager agreed, saying, “He’s right. If I were him, I’d tell the Bucks, “Hey, you’re going to do what you’re going to do, and you heard me, I want to win. I’ll do you a favor and let you trade me for a lot of picks if I believe we’re going to win. But I am surprised that he really said it aloud.
Even this GM was surprised by the manner in which Giannis conveyed his message in a public setting. It was a topic that could have been discussed in private, so maybe Anteotkounmpo should have done that. But he didn’t, and now we find ourselves in this situation.