Giannis Antetokounmpo is the most beloved player that the Bucks franchise has had in more than a decade. Last season, he produced at an All-Star level and guided Milwaukee to the playoffs. More than just being a great player, Antetokounmpo seems to be a player that genuinely likes Milwaukee and wants to stay with the Bucks long term and has vocalized as much.
However, we’ve heard recent reports that Antetokounmpo is beginning to have concerns about the Bucks’ organization and, while he won’t be a free agent until 2021, could consider other options if the Bucks don’t build around him and make structural improvements. Those reports came out following the disaster that was Milwaukee’s general manager search, which reportedly involved in-fighting amongst ownership that delayed the process.
With four years until Giannis could possibly leave, it was easy to shrug those off and he even made an indirect response on Instagram noting his loyalty, but his latest comments during an event in Manila about Kevin Durant leaving Oklahoma City raised some eyebrows and caused some to wonder if he was projecting some of his concerns about the Bucks (transcription via SB Nation).
“A lot of people say they’re going to stay on a team and decide to move to a different team,” said Antetokounmpo. “But you guys got to remember: A guy might want to stay on a team, but if the team doesn’t do the right things and the right moves for the player to become great. Because, KD, the reason he wanted to stay in OKC was to win, right? So, they didn’t win the championship. That’s why he decided to leave. So do not hate only the player. Because sometimes it’s not up to the player.”
That’s not exactly an inspiring comment if you’re a Bucks fan who was hoping the reports about Antetokounmpo’s concerns about the team not building the right way were unwarranted. It could just be Giannis giving his genuine thoughts about Durant and only Durant, but it’s hard not to make some connection to his situation as someone who, like Durant, has expressed publicly his desires to stay with a small market team.
There’s little doubt that Antetokounmpo wants that, but a statement like this applies a little pressure to the Bucks’ organization to make sure they do the right things to put the best possible team around him. Young players often learn the dark side of the business of basketball as their career wears on, and it appears as though Antetokounmpo wants fans to understand that just like teams make moves for the good of the organization, sometimes players have to do the same.
