The Milwaukee Bucks have fallen from championship contenders to basement-dwellers in the Eastern conference, after a 1-6 start in Doc Rivers' first full season as head coach. Just a year ago, analysts touted the Bucks as one of the teams to beat in the East, thanks to the trade for Damian Lillard, but this addition hasn't translated into victories. After this dismal start, ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins blamed Giannis Antetokounmpo for the team's struggles, even suggesting that the Bucks superstar has “blood on his hands.”
“Giannis is the one that made his bed, he's the one that's got to lay in it,” Perkins said on First Take.
Is the Greek Freak to blame for the Bucks' free-fall?
In his savage rant against Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kendrick Perkins blamed him for the Bucks' coaching moves that have backfired on them.
“Look, Stephen A., it goes way before the firing of Adrian Griffin,” Perkins continued. “Didn't Mike Budenholzer get fired as well, the guy they won a championship with. Then all of a sudden you fire Adrian Griffin.”
Then, Big Perk placed the blame for the Lillard trade not panning out on Giannis' feet as well.
“Giannis forced the hand to trade for Damian Lillard and get Jrue Holiday out of there. Here is the thing, does Giannis have blood on his hands? Absolutely, all over this,” Perkins said.
In the trade, the Bucks sent Jrue Holiday to Portland, who then sent him to the Celtics, effectively gifting them their 18th championship. Even Jayson Tatum knew the Jrue Holiday trade pushed them over the hump.
What does Perkins suggest Giannis to do? Basically, the former Celtic champion told him to take the ride all the way, wherever it goes.
“So you got to stick it out, you got to ride this out. This is what you wanted Giannis,” the analyst said. “You knew that you and [Damian Lillard] didn't have the chemistry that y'all needed to have, especially playing the two-man game and learning one another.”
Outlook
As of Tuesday, the Bucks are tied with the Utah Jazz for the NBA's worst record.
However, the Jazz have a reason to tank–the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes–while the Bucks have stayed on “win-now” mode since their 2021 championship, so they only have a roster of aging players and not a lot of draft capital to trade.
If the team keeps losing, Giannis might want to ask out, a year after signing a three-year extension. Lillard is also approaching the downslope of his career, and the team might have to choose between two equally tough options.
Do they cut their losses with Dame Time or consider trading Giannis for a rebuilding core and a haul of draft picks?
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