According to reports, the Milwaukee Bucks did NOT consult Giannis Anteotkounmpo before they pulled the trigger on the Damian Lillard blockbuster trade. Apparently, the Bucks brass did not want to give Antetokounmpo the burden of having to green-light Jrue Holiday’s departure from the team.
Giannis has now shared his reaction to the trade, and true enough, the first thing on his mind was Jrue Holiday.
Losing Jrue Holiday is Massive Blow for Milwaukee Bucks
Speaking to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report, Giannis shared his brutally honest thoughts on having to bid farewell to Holiday:
“Jrue is my f–king brother for life. I love his family. I love him. I appreciate him. I wish him nothing but the best. He blessed me with a f–king championship,” Antetokounmpo told B/R. “He’s the one who made that huge steal in Game 5 of the Finals. I went to battle with him multiple times. F–k basketball. F–k the media shit. This guy is my brother for life, and it’s always going to be like that. He’s going to thrive wherever he ends up.”
As you may have determined, Antetokounmpo was a tad emotional as he explained how much Holiday means to him — not only as a teammate who he won a championship with but most importantly, as a brother.
I can only imagine the type of conversation these two had the first time they both learned about the trade. That would have been heartbreaking.
It’s a Bittersweet Day
As painful as it might be, however, Giannis is still able to see the silver lining in all this. After all, how can you not see the bright side when it comes in the form of a generational talent like Damian Lillard?
“Now at the same time, I’m excited to have Dame,” Antetokounmpo said. “He gives us a chance to win a championship. I’m excited to play with the caliber of player that he is. He can score the ball in his sleep and shoot the lights out.
“It’s a bittersweet day for the city of Milwaukee. You get Dame, who is a great player, but you lose a great guy. Jrue took us to the promised land. I’m 10 years in now. I know it’s a business. At the end of the day, Jrue will alway be be my brother for life. He’s one of the best human beings I’ve been around. But we’ve got to focus on the goal to win the championship. Dame wants this. He’s hungry to win, and he’s going to push us. I’m very happy to have him on our team.”
You can’t really say that Giannis did not see this coming. It’s not that he knew that Holiday was going to be shipped off, but at the same time, he must have had a good idea that sacrifices were going to be made when he warned the Bucks of his intention to leave if they didn’t help him win another championship.
Well, Milwaukee did exactly what he wanted. It’s now Giannis Antetokounmpo’s turn to deliver.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What did Giannis Antetokounmpo say about Jrue Holiday Trade?
Upon hearing about Jrue Holiday's trade, Giannis Antetokounmpo expressed deep emotions, stating, “Jrue is my f–king brother for life... He blessed me with a championship. He’s going to thrive wherever he ends up,” and emphasized his bond with Holiday beyond basketball.
Is Giannis Antetokounmpo staying with the Bucks?
Yes, Giannis Antetokounmpo is staying with the Bucks. He signed a five-year, $228 million supermax extension, which will run until the 2023-24 season. Additionally, his contract includes a player option after the 2024-25 season, giving him further control over his future with the team.