Giannis Thread - 13th Season with the Bucks

[Ron Swanson]

I mean, for anyone thinking “if we’re not contenders this year he’s gone” then it sounds like you’ve already made up your mind cuz that sounds like 100% cope.

[BroncoBuck]

I mean, for anyone thinking “if we’re not contenders this year he’s gone” then it sounds like you’ve already made up your mind cuz that sounds like 100% cope.

When is the last time a star demanding a trade out resulted in a title? AD bubble ring? And even that was more so joining debatably the best player of all time, not just another star. Kawhi didn’t demand to go to Toronto, that’s just where he ended up.

The monkey paw curls more often than not for these superstars getting their wish.

[DanoMac]

I mean, for anyone thinking “if we’re not contenders this year he’s gone” then it sounds like you’ve already made up your mind cuz that sounds like 100% cope.

When is the last time a star demanding a trade out resulted in a title? AD bubble ring? And even that was more so joining debatably the best player of all time, not just another star. Kawhi didn’t demand to go to Toronto, that’s just where he ended up.

The monkey paw curls more often than not for these superstars getting their wish.

Probably Kobe to answer your question

[th87]

Giannis moving the family to Greece was the sign that things are all but over in Milwaukee. With nothing tethering him to the town he's gonna be free to play wherever he wants. Hell, an East coast team means shorter flights to Europe.

By like 90 minutes, come on.

But yeah, the rest seems ominous.

[emunney]

I mean, for anyone thinking “if we’re not contenders this year he’s gone” then it sounds like you’ve already made up your mind cuz that sounds like 100% cope.

When is the last time a star demanding a trade out resulted in a title? AD bubble ring? And even that was more so joining debatably the best player of all time, not just another star. Kawhi didn’t demand to go to Toronto, that’s just where he ended up.

The monkey paw curls more often than not for these superstars getting their wish.

Probably Kobe to answer your question

If the criteria is "star demands a trade", that's a very small group, so it's not surprising that it doesn't often result in a title. In the last decade, probably half the instances are Jimmy Butler. Kawhi does count, though. If the criteria is "star demands a trade to a specific team and gets his wish", how often does *that* happen? I feel like *all* of those instances might be Jimmy Butler. Probably why he keeps doing it.

[emunney]

Giannis moving the family to Greece was the sign that things are all but over in Milwaukee. With nothing tethering him to the town he's gonna be free to play wherever he wants. Hell, an East coast team means shorter flights to Europe.

By like 90 minutes, come on.

But yeah, the rest seems ominous.

I don't think it was ever his family that tied him to Milwaukee. He was always going to be able to move them to wherever. To the extent this is a negative thing w/r/t his plans, it's as a sign or a symptom, not as a catalyst. Personally think it's a negative thing primarily because they are all going to be sad.

[emunney]

This is really, really good.

Yep, it is.

[Matches Malone]

ESPN getting back to the basics.

Read on Twitter

I'm guessing we're going to keep seeing/hearing this heavily to start the year. Really odd timing for this to all get leaked now and does nobody any favors. I love Giannis, but this is partially on him for letting it get this distracting. For someone who says they don't like the drama...

[th87]

Giannis moving the family to Greece was the sign that things are all but over in Milwaukee. With nothing tethering him to the town he's gonna be free to play wherever he wants. Hell, an East coast team means shorter flights to Europe.

By like 90 minutes, come on.

But yeah, the rest seems ominous.

I don't think it was ever his family that tied him to Milwaukee. He was always going to be able to move them to wherever. To the extent this is a negative thing w/r/t his plans, it's as a sign or a symptom, not as a catalyst. Personally think it's a negative thing primarily because they are all going to be sad.

Yeah agree, I mean more from a standpoint of how long he wants to remain an NBA player.

Getting Greece the medal probably stirred up feelings.

[th87]

Apparently a screenshot from Giannis' IG:

https://www.reddit.com/r/MkeBucks/comments/1o0myrf/giannis_response_to_the_noise_taken_from/

He seems to want his kids away from the public eye. And I wonder if the current ...situation... in the US has him thinking about contingencies.

[BroncoBuck]

When is the last time a star demanding a trade out resulted in a title? AD bubble ring? And even that was more so joining debatably the best player of all time, not just another star. Kawhi didn’t demand to go to Toronto, that’s just where he ended up.

The monkey paw curls more often than not for these superstars getting their wish.

Probably Kobe to answer your question

If the criteria is "star demands a trade", that's a very small group, so it's not surprising that it doesn't often result in a title. In the last decade, probably half the instances are Jimmy Butler. Kawhi does count, though. If the criteria is "star demands a trade to a specific team and gets his wish", how often does *that* happen? I feel like *all* of those instances might be Jimmy Butler. Probably why he keeps doing it.

I think there’s been quite a few “star demands trade” examples in the last 10 years

KD (multiple times)
AD (won the bubble)
Harden (multiple times)
Kyrie
Ben Simmons (lol)
Jimmy Butler (multiple times)
Dame (Oof)
Donovan Mitchell (confirmed a few months ago)
Paul George (out of Indy)
Kawhi (won in Toronto)

Then you go back to Melo, Deron Williams, CP3, Dwight, etc.

Obviously the team trading for the star has to gut their roster and takes away flexibility building around said star, so the results not being great isn’t surprising. Kawhi is such a special case because Toronto landed him at such an extreme discount, the true white whale of a star demanding a trade (expiring contract when everyone knew he was going to LA and the whole hamstring situation absolutely tanked his value). The Kawhi trade would be the equivalent of the Bucks trading Giannis and Bobby for Jaylen Brown, Sam Hauser and a pick lol.

I’m not even mad about Giannis potentially leaving, but these guys always say they want to leave to compete and it never seems to work out.

[raferfenix]

I'm guessing we're going to keep seeing/hearing this heavily to start the year. Really odd timing for this to all get leaked now and does nobody any favors. I love Giannis, but this is partially on him for letting it get this distracting. For someone who says they don't like the drama...

Definitely on Giannis.

Such a stark contrast to Jokic.

Of course later on his plan could change and he demands a trade anyways.

Read on Twitter

[Plossum]

Probably a very unpopular opinion but this all feels like it’s heading to an inevitable divorce between Giannis and the Bucks. Short of some miracle happening this year, Giannis is obviously really keen to get another ring or 2 and he seems sceptical that it will happen with the Bucks.

We’re pretty snookered - our cap situation is improving but still not great and we don’t have many assets for a big move.

I think Giannis really wants to stay here, but he also wants to win another title more. It’ll be interesting to see how it all plays out. The media cycle will be brutal this year. Everything we do will be run through the lens of does this help us keep Giannis or drive him further away.

If we’re struggling come the trade deadline in Feb though it’s gonna be especially brutal.

[midranger]

I think Thon requesting a trade worked out well for all involved. Miles Plumlee too.

[ReasonablySober]

I think Thon requesting a trade worked out well for all involved. Miles Plumlee too.

Aaron Civale. For sure a great outcome for all involved.

[ReasonablySober]

This is really, really good.

Yep, it is.

I want to know which one of you wrote it.

[Packbuckman]

You know what people winning changes a lot of things and this team has the potential to win a lot of games. I am not even worrying about Giannis leaving if he plays like he should this team can be really good so enjoy the season we are not going to struggle I expect a fast start to the season.

[Profound23]

The Knicks make no sense. If Giannis wanted to go there they would have to gut that whole team for him.

Salaries don't match but it would have to be Towns/Brunson and whatever picks for Giannis/Kuzma/Portis.

Ok now the Knicks are basically the Bucks with Mike Brown instead of Doc.

[PG Graveyard]

The Knicks make no sense. If Giannis wanted to go there they would have to gut that whole team for him.

Salaries don't match but it would have to be Towns/Brunson and whatever picks for Giannis/Kuzma/Portis.

Ok now the Knicks are basically the Bucks with Mike Brown instead of Doc.

The Knicks don’t want to give up anything for Giannis. Think more Hart, OG and crap. Even then the Knicks probably would hesitate

[raferfenix]

It is interesting the Knicks are the only reported team Giannis considered.

Maybe that changes moving forward.

But as it stands he’d need a slam dunk situation also who the Bucks would play ball with…and the Knicks only have one first-round pick and three pick swaps to deal at the moment:

Ever since the NBA draft combine in mid-May, Alex Saratsis, an Octagon managing director and Antetokounmpo's U.S.-based representative, has fielded rampant interest in Antetokounmpo and conducted serious due diligence on best possible outside fits should the star and his reps push to be traded from the Bucks. Several teams were discussed internally, but one emerged as the only place Antetokounmpo wanted to play outside of Milwaukee: the New York Knicks, multiple sources with direct knowledge of the situation told ESPN.

The Bucks picked up the Knicks' call on Antetokounmpo, and the sides engaged in conversations for a window of time in August, league sources said, but the teams never got traction on a deal.

The Bucks insisted to the Knicks that they preferred not to move Antetokounmpo, but those in Milwaukee believe New York did not make a strong enough offer to continue even discussing a trade, league sources said. It's unclear how the Bucks would have responded to an all-out chase by the Knicks. The multiweek process was described by one source with direct knowledge of the talks as an exclusive negotiating window. New York, for its part, believes the Bucks never were serious about entertaining an Antetokounmpo trade, sources said.

The Knicks have had an eye on Antetokounmpo for the past couple of years under president Leon Rose, who heads a front office that built the franchise into a perennial playoff contender since taking over in 2020. People in league circles, including some in New York, have believed since 2024 that Antetokounmpo would eventually want to come to the Knicks if he ever explored a trade.

This offseason marked the first time that Antetokounmpo truly initiated the pursuit of his best external options, and he had discussions with the Bucks that ultimately led to the conversations between the franchise and the Knicks. Fast-forward months now, and he'll be paying close attention not only to how the Bucks perform to start the season but also to the landscape of the rest of the league.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/46510104/why-giannis-antetokounmpo-future-milwaukee-far-settled