Getty Heat star Bam Adebayo (L) opens up about how he really feels playing against Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Before Giannis Antetokounmpo signed his max contract extension with the Milwaukee Bucks, there was hope that the Greek Freak might be traded to the Miami Heat. Fueling the rumors, Giannis shares the same sports agent, Alex Saratsis, as Heat star Bam Adebayo, and people figured there’d be some wheelin’ and dealin’ to get the two on the same team.
After Adebayo signed his five-year $163 million contract extension with the Heat on November 25, fans in South Beach waited with bated breath that Giannis would join his buddy in Miami. However, on December 15, Giannis slashed those dreams.
The Bucks agreed to a five-year $228 million extension on December 15, which means he’ll be staying in Milwaukee for the foreseeable future. But that doesn’t mean Giannis will never be in Miami. The Heat is hosting the Bucks with back-to-back games at the American Airlines Arena starting on December 29.
Will it be tough for Adebayo to see Giannis as an opponent after the much-publicized tease that his friend could be headed to the Heat? If there’s bad blood, Adebayo isn’t saying anything. His focus remains on the game.
“We get to hoop,” Adebayo said after Monday’s practice. “All the distractions are out of the way. We know the final product, and that’s what it is. There’s no complication to that. He picked what he had to do, and I did what I had to do. My agent made it happen for both of us.”
Adebayo & Giannis Haven’t Spoken Since Signing Their Respective Contracts
After Giannis agreed to stay with Milwaukee, by rule, he cannot be traded for a calendar from the date he signed the extension. While Adebayo is happy that both he and Giannis get to keep playing, he hasn’t spoken to the Bucks star since they each signed their monster contract extensions.
The 23-year-old Kentucky alum didn’t call Giannis to celebrate his big payday. “That’s the time to be with your family [and] enjoy the moment,” Adebayo said.
Back in March, Adebayo, said that he wasn’t going to push Giannis toward Miami. “At the end of the day, I can’t force a man to make that decision. That’s going to be his decision, his family’s decision. I can’t persuade him to do that.”
Milwaukee Is a New Team Since Miami Eliminated Them 4-1 During the Playoffs Last Season
GettyGiannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks shoots the ball against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on December 27, 2020.
With the new pandemic-inspired NBA schedule, not a lot of time has passed since the Heat beat the Bucks during the 2019-2020 Eastern Conference Semifinals. While Miami eliminated them in just five games last season, they will be facing an all-new team on Tuesday and Wednesday.
While the Heat’s roster has mostly stayed intact save for Jae Crowder, Derrick Jones Jr., Solomon Hill, and Kyle Alexander, the Bucks said goodbye to nearly half their roster before the start of the 2020-2021 season.
The Bucks waived Wesley Matthews, Eric Bledsoe, George Hill, Marvin Williams, Kyle Korver, Ersan Ilyasova, Robin Lopez, and Frank Mason. Now, joining Giannis on the court is Jrue Holiday, D.J. Augustin, Bobby Portis, Torrey Craig, Bryn Forbes, Jaylen Adams, Sam Merrill, and Jordan Nwora.
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