NBA rumors: 2 factors behind belief Giannis Antetokounmpo could demand Bucks trade
11/03/2024 02:37 PM
The Milwaukee Bucks have gotten off to an embarrassing start to the 2024-25 NBA season, currently sitting at 1-5 and with star power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo publicly urging calmness. The team most recently succumbed to a late Donovan Mitchell jumper on Saturday evening vs the Cleveland Cavaliers, losing their fifth straight game after an opening night victory vs the Philadelphia 76ers.
While nothing has materialized yet, there has been growing speculation in recent weeks that Antetokounmpo could become the latest NBA star to request a trade if things don’t improve quickly for the Bucks.
Recently, NBA insider Marc Stein took to his Substack to break down the two biggest reasons behind this belief.
“The knowledge that the Bucks, with only a 2031 first-round pick available to trade and very limited financial flexibility due to the fact that their payroll has already spilled beyond the league’s second luxury tax apron, will have a hard time making changes to a roster that has been routinely branded as old and slow and defensively challenged around Antetokounmpo,” reported Stein.
Stein also cited the interview that Antetookounmpo gave with Tania Ganguli of the New York Times in 2023 as a reason for this belief, an interview in which Antetokounmpo stated that “I don't want to be 20 years on the same team and don't win another championship.”
“A perception was born as soon as Antetokounmpo publicly shared those thoughts,” reported Stein.
Can the Bucks turn things around?
It’s still obviously very early in the season, and the Bucks have shown an ability to at least compete with upper echelon teams like the Cavaliers as well as the Boston Celtics, whom they hung in there with throughout most of the game last week.
Still, Bucks fans can’t be encouraged with what they’ve seen from the team so far, as Antetokounmpo continues to put up MVP caliber numbers but the team’s supporting cast has largely let him down, including a brutal shooting night from Lillard two games ago against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Much has been made of the team’s struggles since Doc Rivers took over as head coach midway through last season, as the team currently sits below .500 with Rivers manning the sidelines.
In any case, the Bucks will look to finally break the ugly losing streak on Monday evening on the road with a rematch vs the Cavaliers. That game is slated to kick off at 7:30 PM ET from Cleveland.
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