The Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo trade to the Miami Heat will have to wait a bit to be finalized, but the stories are already coming out about the homegrown star’s frustration with the Bucks.
Antetokounmpo, who has spent his entire 13-year career in Milwaukee, vented his discontent late in his tenure as a result of a disagreement over an injury this past season. But the problems ran a bit deeper than that, apparently.
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Jim Owczarski, Antetokounmpo made it clear that he thought he would be dealt as far back as March 21, when the Bucks visited the Phoenix Suns.
“Antetokounmpo derisively referenced aloud, without prompt, a comment by Bucks co-owner Wes Edens a day earlier, saying the franchise legend would either sign a contract extension or be traded. Antetokounmpo felt it cornered him,” Owczarski wrote.
“‘Let’s see if they have the balls to trade me,’ he said, defiantly.
“He quickly looked down.
“‘They’re gonna trade me,’ he added, far more quietly.”
It took three months, but the Bucks finally bit the proverbial bullet by trading Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to the Heat in exchange for Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware, Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round draft picks, a pick swap, and a second-rounder.
It remains to be seen what Milwaukee will do further as it enters its post-Giannis era. Although the results have definitely been mixed, the team has essentially been in win-now mode for close to a decade and, as such, had traded numerous assets.
Now, the Bucks appear to be rebuilding for the future.
The post Giannis Antetokounmpo after Bucks owner’s ultimatum – ‘Let’s see if they have balls to trade me’ appeared first on ClutchPoints.
