The Milwaukee Bucks have stagnated in recent years in terms of postseason success. Following their 2021 NBA Championships, the team has only won a single playoff series, against the beleaguered Chicago Bulls in 2022, and have lost in the 1st round in consecutive seasons, including once as a #1 seed in the Eastern Conference. There’s a lot riding on this year’s rematch with the Indiana Pacers, and one NBA veteran thinks that Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future with the team depends on postseason success.
NBA Veteran Marcus Morris Sr. Makes Bold Recommendation to Giannis Antetokounmpo
There has been no shortage of noise about Giannis Antetokounmpo leaving the Milwaukee Bucks for one reason or another. Whether it is through free agency or forcing a trade, speculation around Antetokounmpo’s next team has been a constant topic in NBA circles. As the Bucks continue to remain outside of the league’s premier outfits and are once again long-shots to win the NBA title, former NBA player Marcus Morris Sr. had some advice for Antetokounmpo while on ESPN’s First Take.
“If I’m Giannis, and we don’t get past this first round, I think I’m going to sunny sunny sunny sunny Miami. Listen, it’s wide-open over there. You can start something new. It’s a really big market. You know, it’s wide open right now.”
Giannis to Miami has been a rumor for several years now. Morris is right about Miami being a large market, and, contrary to year’s past, Miami is really in need of a star player. In the past, when the Heat were contending and led by veteran Jimmy Butler, the team was looking for another co-star. But now, with Butler gone and the team nowhere near the better squads out east, Miami is in search of a reset.
Milwaukee Bucks Desperately Need Postseason Success to Keep Their Star
Few fans could argue that three straight first-round exits would not be indicative of a franchise stuck in the mud. The Bucks have already Antetokounmpo’s running mate in Khris Middleton this season, and as they’ve continued to empty the coffers of draft picks, some would say that there is not much hope of Milwaukee growing into a contender over the next few seasons.
Regardless of if Antetokounmpo could opt to force his way out after this season, the other option is the team deciding to “blow it up” following another disappointing run. Months ago, it would have been unlikely to imagine a rebuild where the Bucks actually trade Antetokounmpo, as many agree it is never advisable to trade a player of his caliber, but the Luka Dončić trade has shown that there are other schools of thought when it comes to roster construction.
Milwaukee would definitely be due for some significant overhauls if the team fails in the first round once again. The trade deadline was already a significant change for the team, but an even more significant one would likely be in order if the Indiana Pacers advanced over them. It could just mean parting ways with a plethora of veterans, or it could mean putting a multi-time league MVP on the trade block.
Marcus Morris Sr. Also Gave His Opinion on the Damian Lillard Situation
Morris was bold enough to continue his perspective and apply it to Damian Lillard as well.
“And then you talk about Dame as well, like do both of them somehow slide to a new team?”
Suggesting the Bucks completely blow it up is certainly bold, but to suggest Antetokounmpo and Lillard both leave to a new team together is even crazier. Stephen A. Smith immediately called out Morris for being unrealistic, pointing to the amount of assets it would take to get such a deal done, but Morris slyly said that crazier things have happened.
Milwaukee trading both of their stars would be a turning point in the entire NBA, but both stars arriving on a new team together would be unprecedented. That being said, Milwaukee fans are hoping that all of these talking points are rendered null by a strong postseason effort from the Bucks.
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