Giannis Antetokounmpo’s name has been living in the rumor mill all season long. Every rough week turned into a debate about whether the Greek Freak would finally be out the door. Fans kept refreshing their feeds waiting for a blockbuster announcement, while insiders tossed out hints and ‘maybes’ like confetti. The Milwaukee Bucks never fully shut it down either, which only added fuel to the speculation.
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A few teams kept popping up as the supposed front-runners, particularly the Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors, and Minnesota Timberwolves. Each destination had a fun “what if” angle, from bright lights to young cores to ready-made contenders, especially the Dubs, who didn’t want to waste a terrific Steph Curry season now that Jimmy Butler is out for the season.
But as the noise kept going, no deal ever materialized. All the above teams made moves, but nothing as spectacular as adding Antetokounmpo to the roster. The trade deadline ended, and Giannis will remain with Milwaukee…at least through this season.
Bobby Portis even addressed this during a new interview with Sirius XM NBA Radio. The 31-year-old star was asked whether Giannis and himself would still be a Buck in October. He admitted that with the pace of the basketball business, it’s too hard to give an accurate answer at this time.
“Too far away to say.”
Bobby Portis on whether he and Giannis Antetokounmpo will be suiting up for the Milwaukee Bucks in October
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“It’s too far away to say,” answered Portis. But despite not knowing, Portis still showed his allegiance to Milwaukee and its great fans. He mentioned that for the time being, he and the Greek Freak are going to go all out for the Bucks, and are eyeing a playoff run.
“We’re playing for Milwaukee, I’m playing for Milwaukee. I take pride in being a Buck. I love the city of Milwaukee. They call me the mayor of Milwaukee,” he added. By his tone, you can tell that there is still some fight left in himself and Giannis even if the rest of the squad seem adamant about remaining a mid-tier force in a much more competitive East than people were expecting.
At some point, the constant chatter stops being about basketball and starts being about leverage, perception, and pressure on a front office to prove it can still build a contender. Giannis Antetokounmpo doesn’t strike most people as a drama-chaser, but even superstars watch how organizations respond when the noise gets loud.
If the Bucks want this era to last, the real work is showing they can evolve, not just run it back and hope. The good news for Bucks fans is that guys like Portis sound bought in, and when your core still cares, you’re never as far off as the hot takes make it seem.
