Given the way things have gone for the Milwaukee Bucks the past couple of seasons, it probably wasn’t too much of a surprise that a report came out Wednesday morning stating that the Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo were going to meet regarding his future with the franchise. That obviously led to rampant speculation about Giannis and a potential trade.
But Bucks head coach Doc Rivers threw cold water on the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors, at least for now. Prior to the Bucks’ game against the Detroit Pistons, Rivers reiterated that the Bucks have held zero conversations with Giannis about a potential trade.
“So here we go again. There have been no conversations,” Rivers said. “I want to make it clear, I would say one more time, but for the 50th time. . .Giannis has never asked to be traded, ever. I can’t make that more clear.”
While Rivers was adamant in his assertion that the Bucks’ franchise star has never asked to be traded, the Bucks and New York Knicks reportedly had trade conversations in the offseason regarding a potential deal center around Antetokounmpo and Kyle Kuzma. Should Antetokounmpo officially become available on the trade market, the Bucks likely won’t have any shortage of suitors.
The nine-time All-Star had recently been sidelined due to a groin injury, but Antetokounmpo was expected to return to the Bucks’ lineup against the Pistons.
He’s appeared in 16 games so far, at a little over 30 minutes per game. He’s been averaging 30.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocked shots with splits of 63.9 percent shooting from the field, 43.5 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 63 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
