The return of Giannis Antetokounmpo didn’t cure all of the Bucks’ ills. Milwaukee lost its seventh straight on Friday, falling to the Knicks, 118-109.
Their superstar tried his best to end the slide in his first game back from a groin strain, racking up 30 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists in 28 minutes. After the loss, Antetokounmpo addressed a number of topics, as relayed by ESPN’s Tim Bontemps.
On the losing streak:
“Nobody should have a personal agenda. Nobody should worry about what they want from themselves. Worry only about winning mentality. Winning mindset. The more we can win the games, the more everything takes care of itself.”
On the need for a team-oriented mentality:
“You cannot worry about one shot or two shots that you miss, which took four seconds out of the game to dictate 47 minutes, 56 seconds of the game. So, we got to get back to that mindset. We got to get into the mindset that we got to compete. We got to get to the mindset that this is not a one-man show, that we have to do it together. We got to move the ball. We got to find open 3s, we got to run. We got to create spacing. Our spacing sometimes, it’s shaky.”
On the Bucks ranking 20th in defensive field goal percentage:
“At the end of the day, you got to come in, do your job, do what you’re paid to do, defend … do the little things. And sometimes, when you worry about doing the little things, all the other things add up. If you’re so concerned about scoring the ball and get yourself going offensively and that doesn’t work for you, now you feel like you cannot do nothing.”
The Bucks are playing the second game of a back-to-back set when they host the Nets on Saturday. Antetokounmpo plans not only to play but to get more court time than he did on Friday.
“I know how the protocol is,” Antetokounmpo said. “I know when you come back with my injury, there’s got to be a minute restriction, no matter what you want to do. It doesn’t matter what kind of game it is. Would I want to play more? Yes. Could I play more? I don’t know. But I know one thing for sure: Tomorrow, I will play more minutes, and I’m going to try to help the team win.”
Portis for Anfernee Simons adds 10+ points for the Bucks per game— makes them younger, faster, and spreads the floor.
You need to add salary to the Bucks so the deal can work
He Gone I know Milwaukee will treat AR15 like the cold white boy he is. Luka and Giannis about to get ring # 5 for GOAT James
Lakers fans are so delusional.
You would be too if stuff like getting 25 year old Luka fresh off a finals run happened to your franchise lol
Hardly delusional from past experience. Is it delusional for Elon Musk expecting his net worth to go up by $100 bullion in the next year? No! Is it delusional for a homeless guy to expect that? Absolutely!!!
Lakers have always been able to attract big talent. Big market with the most attention. Great place to live, gets to play with Luka giving him the best chance to compete for a championship.
Giannis will have only one year left on his contract. If he wants a trade this offseason he will be able to narrow down where he wants to go cause he has to be willing to sign an extension there. So, the Bucks won’t be able to get the max back for him by sending him to the highest bidder.
Here is the problem there will be teams that will have cap space to give Reaves the maximum next year. So, Reaves will have to be cool with any sign and trade destinations. So, Reaves might only be available for a trade the following year.
The good news is that with Giannis with only one year left on his contract will have to trade him to a destination he wants to go to and willing to sign an extension at. That means that they will have to settle for less back than they can get otherwise.
The Lakers will have three first round picks to trade this offseason 2026, 2031 and 2033. Maybe if they can get a pick for each if sign and trades for Rui and Bron, the receiving teams sending out some players the Bucks will want, that would be 5 first round picks with some decent players for the Bucks.
It will be better than what the Knicks can offer. OKC won’t have the money to trade for Giannis (they have to start shedding off salaries next year, and more the following year). Horne Bucks wont want want KD in a trade with Houston.
Gianni’s has already said he wants to play on a big market next. That’s the Knicks or Lakers. Knicks don’t have the assets (one first round pick only). Gianni’s will want to okay with Luka and Reaves.
Giannis will want to
Best move for the Milwaukee Bucks franchise. Is a Giannis trade. Bucks don’t control their picks. And don’t have assets to help Giannis in a trade. It’s best for Bucks, Giannis, and the NBA. Just do it …..
The Thunder or Spurs can put together the best package. You can say the Thunder don’t need to do it. I say why not. We are talking Giannis lols …..
They have firsts in 2031 and 2032 plus salaries for Portis and Kuzma, plus two young valuable guards. They absolutely have the assets.
“Best for the NBA” spoken like a true large market fan.
FACTS!
The Thunder only have picks. Next year their salary is more than $20 million above the second apron. They have to trade out at least Hartenstein and another player to get below the second apron. The following year they have to let Lue Dortz walk as they cannot afford him.
The only way OKC can do that trade is to trade one of their three big stars plus, another star player AND get rid of Harteinstein next year to get below the second apron. Will they be willing to do that? Trade Jalen Williams or Holmgen along with Dort/Caruso, snd let Hartenstein walk to get Giannis and be below the second apron?
Spurs more realistic, although Giannis has said he wants to play in New York or LA (after the Luka trade he said he wants to see the top European players in the big markets if LA or New York). With only one year left on his contract Giannis can dictate where he wants to go, as he has to be willing to sign an extension there if they are going to give up a lot fir him.
You are forgetting that the Thunder have a lot of young players who Rookie-Scale extensions coming up. Some will get salary hikes. They’ll have to move a few of those.
Fair points. I personally think the spurs should holdout and let the youth ride. They have solid depth and i would prefer packaging like sochan and olynk and picks for a upgrade at the 3.
@chandlerbing
You ok bro?
mayb giannis should go threaten and yell at some more old dudes half his size and twice his age and then cry victim
it helps ease his frustration and his ego
boom justb like that a bunch of fans posting one sided trades for Giannis here.
Horford and three 2nds !
W’s fans are entitled to this 😂
lakers will trade Vincent for him because its the NBA and they always help the lakers out.
I’m a big Giannis fan. A Giannis trade helps the Bucks more than anything else. There are only a few places he can realistically go to. Knicks aren’t one of them.
I would love to see him in San Antonio …….
Thunder, Nuggets, Rockets, Spurs would battle it out for years ……. Love to see that.
How does trading one of the best few players on earth help a team? They don’t control their picks until 2030. It hurts them, especially if they don’t get those picks back.
They have three future firsts to trade this summer and $33m in expiring salary. I’m sure they’ll get him a new star running mate so he’ll extend again. It’s happened twice before.
If Giannis wants out, lining up with the Thunder is kind of a no brainer. If they trade Giannis, they are tanking. The Thunder have a bunch of players coming due for Rookie-Scale extensions. They can’t keep all of them. They have a huge amount 1sts that they will not be able to use immediately. I read somewhere that they could have 3 1sts in the 2026. They could offer players and draft capital to the Bucks that they don’t have.
If I need to explain that to you. Then you don’t really get this game. What are the Bucks going to do for Giannis. They don’t control their picks till 2031.
They have players on QO or PO they have to resign. And three minimum deals expiring. The luxury tax next year is at 187 mill. Which they will be close to. So they have no money to sign FAs. They are a .500 team. And thats what you will be for next 5 yrs.
Typical NY fan indeed. Making it personal because he wants player from small market team to play for his team.
His point was that trading a star player makes the team worse. Ergo it does not help them.
You missed the point Sparky. Giannis can walk after next season. Where will the Bucks. No picks and a huge hole to fill.
And he can EXTEND before then. Look up his contract info before you call me names.
Giannis would be the one wanting the big market ( Knicks ) not just the fans in this situation
What Gianni’s wants is what he will get not what the bucks want , this is the history of the league fellas like it or not
I feel Mil fans fail to acknowledge this
The longer Bucks wait the less they will get
I’m with Al on this one
And he wants to stay in Milwaukee, as he’s said many times before, including this week. That’s what Giannis wants and it’s what the Bucks want.
Correct – Championship calibre teams acquire players like Giannis, they don’t trade them for magic beans, I mean picks…
Al
Not sure a trade helps giannis. His salary is too high. I really don’t think people understand. The new cap is designed to go back to ’90s basketball or players who are with one team for year after year. To match the salary they would basically have to gut the entire team to make the salaries match. Then how does that help Giannis on his new team? What trade works except maybe San Antonio? And if Wemby is the player that I think he is, he would rather play against the competition than have the competition on his team so that’s not happening. These players making 50 to $60 million on their teams are stuck on their teams. There’s no trade to match the salaries. There’s no 50 or $60 million to get in the open market.
That’s why the Thunder is a match. They can trade players and picks without hurting their core or future picks.
Who from OKC you going to give up? He may hurt the team more than help. They are the best team in the league. Why mess with that
Trade Kuzma, Portis, Rollins, Porter Jr, Trent, Garry Harris, Sims and ALL their picks in a 3 team trade
Bucks get: Middleton, Jrue Holiday and Bagley, Champagne, and Cooper’s two way contract. Bucks waive Nance and sign Kotas A….
Portland gets: McCollum, Gill and picks. Portland signs Tyler Smith
Washington gets: Kuzma, Trent, Harris, Wesley and picks. Washington waives Branham, Harris and Wesley again. Sign Tyler Smith
Milwaukee needs to do this
Predictable – sign Turner to big money, the record doesn’t improve, Giannis leaves… But hey, good news, next season Bucks fans will get a chance to see what Turner can do as the #1 on the team.
Who from OKC you going to give up? He may hurt the team more than help. They are the best team in the league. Why mess with that.