Giannis Antetokounmpo speaks highly of Milwaukee.
Giannis Antetokounmpo will reportedly be traded by the Milwaukee Bucks this offseason after the two sides have been destined for a split for a year now.
The tipping point between Giannis and the team came after the NBA trade deadline when Giannis suffered an injury. The Bucks held onto Giannis despite reported interest from multiple teams in hopes of making a run at the play-in tournament and a potential playoff spot.
An injury to Giannis ended those hopes, but Giannis wanted to return for the finals games of the season. Milwaukee deemed that he wasn't cleared, bringing an end to his season on March 15.
Giannis Loves Milwaukee?
On School of Hard Knocks, Giannis expressed his love for Milwaukee while speaking about his restaurant in the city.
“They reached out and said they want to open a restaurant here in Milwaukee. I was like ‘oh,lovely!’ After the games I’ll be able to come eat here….. 2013, I got drafted, I came here to Milwaukee, I’ve been here 13 years with the team and hopefully many more," he said.
It is unclear when the interview was filmed, though Giannis has long maintained his love for Milwaukee and the city. As he mentioned, the Bucks drafted him in 2013, when he was just 19 and coming over from Greece. The city helped raise him and turn him in the man he is today at 31. He's also had a lot of success in the city, winning multiple MVPs and a championship in 2021.
Despite how much he loves the city, he has also expressed his desire to compete for a championship, and right now, the Bucks are further away from a championship than ever.
Can The Bucks Keep Giannis?
Seeing as Giannis has continued to express his desire to remain in Milwaukee, management will look like the bad guys if they ultimately trade him.
The Bucks could end up pivoting by trying to retool around Giannis, and they do have some assets to do so.
They have the 10th overall pick, which could fetch a player like Kyrie Irving if the Dallas Mavericks decide to move on from the star point guard. They also have the contracts of Myles Turner and Kyle Kuzma that can be used as salary filler, though they may have to attach picks to either deal.
The most likely scenario is that Giannis is still traded, but his comments about Milwaukee will cast some doubt.
