Of the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade gossip that happens every Milwaukee Bucks offseason, it’s fair to say that this year marked the peak. Thankfully those rumors have been quashed for the moment, though national media will grasp at any shred of uncertainty that becomes available. For Bucks fans and for the front office, it’s nothing new.
Coming off a first round loss – another one – with a megastar in his prime, offseason urgency is the name of the game. The front office isn’t freaking out. General manager Jon Horst and company had to think outside the box this summer, but they pulled some strings anyway, as they’ve always done for Giannis. Horst says there isn’t any atypical “Operation Appeasement” going on between franchise and its face – just business as usual.
Giannis Does His Thing, Horst Does His
Entering year 13, Antetokounmpo’s stardom remains a miracle for Milwaukee. The Greek Freak was no lottery pick or even a top 10 selection. When the Bucks took him 15th overall in 2013, they saw promise, clearly, but they could hardly imagine they were getting a two-time MVP and top 3 player at worst for eight years running.
Giannis is nothing less than legend for the franchise. The 2021 Finals MVP brought the Bucks their first title in 50 years. Zeus himself, the Greek Freak fittingly matched that drought with 50 points – not 49, not 51 – in Game 6 to seal the deal. He’s put the city of Milwaukee back on the NBA map.
Horst has consistently done his best to surround him with talent. The Jrue Holiday trade helped produce a championship in year one. Once the Holiday-Giannis pairing ran its course, Horst maneuvered for Damian Lillard.
Due in no small part to bad injury luck, the Dame Time enterprise did not go as planned in Milwaukee, but the Bucks have kept the pedal to the metal in pursuit of title contention. That resulted in the decision to waive and stretch Lillard and sign Myles Turner earlier this offseason.
Milwaukee Bucks Hold Healthy Alliance with Franchise Star
While Giannis expressed dismay over Lillard’s dismissal, many have shrewdly wondered whether that’s just Antetokounmpo being a supportive teammate – staying silent would inevitably result in accustations that he kicked his injured co-star to the curb. Past reporting indicates that the team consults him on any major move, of which the Turner signing was certainly one.
“We’re talking about an over 10-year relationship,” Horst told The Athletic’s Eric Nehm. “We talk to Giannis all the time. Our coaches are with Giannis working him out. I’ll go visit him after summer league. There’s a reason we don’t really speculate or talk about any of this stuff ever. This is no different.”
Pundits questioned the unorthodox Dame-for-Turner swap, but such cap space acrobatics only reinforces the organization’s continued commitment to fielding a winner for Giannis.
Horst depicts the relationship as both intimate and of a business nature, as it should be. There’s no place for handwringing over Giannis’ state of mind. The organization already has a pretty good idea of that. This isn’t the Lakers dealing with the sometimes mercurial LeBron James.
“We’re entirely focused on job. Our job is to build the best team that we can, present that to him, present the vision and the plan, and go kick ass in the next season. And so that’s where we are today.”
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