12:23pm: Antetokounmpo claimed today that he didn’t make the comments attributed to him in the Harvard Business School study, according to Matt Velazquez of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter link).
“If you kind of read the last quote, I’ve never used those words in my life,” he said.
The study has yet to be published, but it seems extremely unlikely that its authors would have fabricated a quote from Antetokounmpo. The interview, which reportedly took place months ago, was recorded, according to Dinan (Twitter link via Romell).
9:52am: After earning another All-NBA nod and winning an MVP award last season, Giannis Antetokounmpo ensured that he’ll be eligible for a super-max extension with the Bucks. However, he can’t officially sign that extension until the 2020 offseason, when he’ll have seven years of NBA experience under his belt.
The Bucks have already made it clear that offer will be waiting for Antetokounmpo next summer, earning themselves a fine for discussing it publicly. Now the NBA world is waiting to see whether Giannis will actually sign it.
The latest hint at the reigning MVP’s thought process comes from an unlikely source. As Rick Romell of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel relays, Antetokounmpo spoke in the spring to Anita Elberse, a Harvard Business School professor who was researching a case study on the Bucks’ culture and the challenges a small-market team like Milwaukee faces why trying to hang onto a superstar player. In that interview with Elberse, Giannis addressed his contract situation more directly than he has typically done with NBA reporters.
“I want the Bucks to build a winning culture. So far, we have been doing great, and, if this lasts, there’s no other place I want to be,” Antetokounmpo said, per Elberse and co-author Melcolm Ruffin. “But if we’re underperforming in the NBA next year, deciding whether to sign becomes a lot more difficult.”
Antetokounmpo’s comments aren’t exactly groundbreaking. After making it within two games of the NBA Finals last spring, the Bucks are widely considered good bets to at least return to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2020, and perhaps to advance further. If they fall short of those goals, it makes sense that Giannis’ decision on whether to sign on long-term would become more complicated. Still, it’s noteworthy that he actually admitted as much.
The Bucks’ star, who has a $27.53MM salary for the 2020/21 season, could tack five additional years onto that his deal if he signs a super-max extension next year. Based on the league’s latest cap projections, that five-year extension would be worth $253.75MM.
For their part, the Bucks have insisted they’re not concerned about Antetokounmpo’s contract situation. As Romell notes, Bucks co-owner Jamie Dinan also downplayed the Giannis quote relayed by Elberse, speculating that the researchers may have needed to generate some conflict for their study.
“I wasn’t in the room when [Antetokounmpo] said it,” Dinan said, “so I don’t know if they goaded him a little bit to kind of get some conflict.
What if he is the reason the team underperforms?
What if you’re the reason the team underperforms?
They’ve gotten this far with my guidance. If they can’t continue to improve and reach the pinnacle without me holding their hands every step, I’ll sell my 23.7% stake in the team and walk away completely.
Then he won’t win his second MVP award?
The main reason he won the MVP last season was because his team had the best record in the NBA, even though Harden had a better season.
Harden only had a better seaon if you don’t like defense.
Man Harden had a great season… But Giannis was without a doubt the best player in the league, even AD was better than Harden despite the boycott Pels did on him.
The quote is from last season.
He needs to be better. If he’s better and they still don’t beat the East, or at least get past semis then he can make a fuss.
I pointed out that Giannis didn’t sound like a guy who was 100% on staying in Milwaukee a couple of weeks ago, based on his no nuetral response to a contract question. Some said I was reading too much into things.
This is blatant. Giannis is probably irritated about Brogdon leaving (who wouldn’t be), and this is evidence he’s been thinking about leaving since.
The owners in Milwaukee screwed up. It’s cheaper to pay the tax than it is to let Giannis leave.
I’d be careful about viewing this as a response to the Brogdon decision or anything else that’s happened in the last few months, since the report suggests the interview happened in the spring (my understanding is that it didn’t surface until now because the study wasn’t being published until now).
Fair point.
Giannis has not said one word about Brogdon leaving. The bucks played half the season without him anyways. What were the Bucks supposed to do? Tie up their entire cap in 5 guys? That’s what would’ve happened if we paid Brogdon 20M, Giannis roughly 45M, Middleton 30M, Lopez 17M and Bledsoe 15M.
By saying “if we underperform it’ll make the decision a lot tougher” clearly sounds like if they play well as a team it’s an easy choice to stay. How does that have anything to do with Brogdon?
The Bucks were supposed to sign him to a reasonable contract. That way, they could make him part of the rotation long term or they could package him for another player.
The Bucks time is now. Giannis isn’t a sure thing long term, and the East isn’t going to get easier next year or the year after. Keeping Brogdon – who had a double double last night against Detroit – was a no brainier. But Milwaukee decided to turn him into a late first and two seconds. Insane.
Not to mention paying Hill but letting Brogdon go?
Unless I’m mistaken, there was talk that Brogdon didn’t want to stay with Milwaukee. If true, the only option was a sign and trade. Otherwise, he leaves for nothing, and then Giannis has something to complain about.
Last time somebody said this, and I couldn’t find any reporting to support it. But I did find a few stories saying the Bucks couldn’t afford to keep Brogdon, which is bs. They didn’t want to pay the tax, but that’s not the same.
Brogdon wants to play PG. He is unlikely to like the way Bledsoe does it though that is not out there to discover.
My recollection is that they were going to lose someone important regardless and chose Brogdon because they could get something back for him and he wasn’t that happy. Something about too many capholds to fit Lopez under capspace.
This was set in motion when they extended Bledsoe in midseason. It was a lowish figure but it cemented Bledsoe as Bucks PG.
It was so complicated around July 1, all the deals being announced. Luke had it worked out but the trade was a surprise fix.
Being able to “afford” to pay the luxury tax doesn’t make it a wise decision. The owners do have a right to be financially responsible, and still make a legit effort to put a winning team together.
I wouldn’t want to pay extra (a tax or whatever) just so I can claim I’m making more of an effort to win.
Amd just because they may be able to afford it this year, doesn’t mean they can next, or the year after..when they plan on paying 1 player $45-50 mil/year.
No lux tax no ring, as simple as!
This story gets more ridiculous and overblown by the day.
I believe Giannis. The writer needed him to say that to justify his project. Just using a Zach Lowe prediction would not be enough.
The writer probably cannot be criminally charged because quote marks are not law.
Giannis has to speak out. Libel laws are iffy.
The US Supreme Court has ruled that quote marks don’t necessarily mean what everyone thinks they mean. The writer can write down his impressions, put quote marks around them, and attribute the chain to the subject. It just depends.
(Not a lawyer)
I think HR is pretty scrupulous though. They use kind of vague language for the Giannis/Bucks future situation, which is all that’s possible without speculating.
What part of “his comments were RECORDED” didn’t you understand?
YOU read. The interview was said to be recorded but the quote used was not confirmed. Can you tell the difference between these states? Please inform us when confirmation happens HA.
Also “underperforming” is a bit vague. That is usually a phrase for the RS. Like, seeded low for the playoffs, not just an ECF loss.