The Milwaukee Bucks made the decision to trade Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat. It marks the end of an era, and Antetokounmpo will go chase a championship with a new team. Milwaukee will now rebuild using the pieces from the trade.
Antetokounmpo still seems conflicted by the fact that he is no longer in Milwaukee. He has said numerous times over the years how much he loves the city. He loves being in Milwaukee, but he clearly didn’t want to play for the Bucks anymore.
Recently, Antetokounmpo addressed the possibility of him playing for Milwaukee later on in his career, and it sounds like he wants to.
GettyMilwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo warms up before a game. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
Giannis Antetokounmpo Wants to Play for the Bucks Again One Day
While appearing on AnesTea the Podcast, a Greek Podcast, Antetokounmpo says he would like to play for Milwaukee again one day.
“I really believed that I would stay in Milwaukee for my entire career. But then I saw I was in my comfort zone. I wanted something different. And I am happy to be in Miami. I can’t lie, I don’t feel comfortable in Miami. I’ll go there and do my best. Basketball-wise, I had a great time there. That will always be in my heart. That will never leave. I don’t know, but I hope when the Miami chapter closes, and I don’t know when or if it will, and I don’t know how many years I’ll spend there, but I wish to return to Milwaukee if they’ll have me.”
Antetokounmpo clearly still loves the city of Milwaukee. It is strange that he is already talking about returning to the city one day before playing a game for his new team. That can’t make Heat fans feel great about what the next few years will hold.
GettyMilwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo walks off the court during a game. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Milwaukee is Ready to Move on from Giannis Antetokounmpo
While Antetokounmpo still loves the Bucks and everything he did in Milwaukee, the team was ready to move on from him. They were ready to start the rebuild and get the assets that they needed in order to go into a full rebuild. Tyler Herro is the player that was the centerpiece of the return they got.
Over the next few years, figuring out a way to get the best possible draft picks will be a goal of theirs. It doesn’t seem like the current roster is ready to compete for a playoff spot, although the offense will likely be better. Last season, Milwaukee had the seventh-worst offense in the league.
It would be hard for the team to be much worse than that, even with Antetokounmpo gone. The Bucks will have more overall depth, even if their ceiling won’t be as high. Yet, it would be surprising if this team made the playoffs immediately after trading their franchise player to an East rival.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Addresses Potential Reunion with the Bucks