Right…
Bucks two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo said the firing of first-year coach Adrian Griffin caught him by surprise, but that he trusts Milwaukee's decision-makers to give the team the best possible chance to win a championship.
"I've got to trust the front office, I've got to trust the ownership group that they consider the bigger picture," Antetokounmpo said following the Bucks' 126-116 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night. "My job is to be the best version of myself, to lead this team out there and help win games.
"Their job is to create the best team possible and the best atmosphere around the team possible that they believe gives us a better chance to win a championship. But yeah, I do think [firing coach Griffin] was a surprise."
This guy really has changed. The tantrums he throws at press conferences, the incident with the "game ball" against the Pacers, getting coaches fired, etc. And his shtick about staying with one team his whole life, that is 100% going to be BS. I'll bet good money ($100+) he's gone from Milwaukee after 2025.
He signed an extension so he's under contract 'til 2027-28 with the last year being a player option.
Of course, stuff like that hasn't stopped players from forcing themselves out early.
I hardly think that matters anymore. Numerous players around the league have been able to orchestrate trades even with 3+ years left on their deal. Some have even hypothesized that Jaylen could be traded after this season if the C's get bounced early and JB doesn't like it here, and he just signed a 5-year extension.
The Bucks trading for Lillard felt like desperation. Sorry but I'm not buying the "we needed to get better, period" slant from the Bucks FO, Giannis definitely had a hand in getting Lillard there and forced it to happen. And the Bucks have no choice but to appease their guy
People are making it out like it's easy for players to get out of their deals, especially five year ones...Jaylen would have to be a total malcontent and either sit out games or not show up to training (the Harden method, which basically kills your reputation) or he would have had to have had a total relationship breakdown with his coach and teammates that would necessitate him being shipped out. And if Brad doesn't think there's a good return for him - I don't think he's getting shipped out.
That said, I am in the camp of thinking that Jaylen will inevitably be traded, not because he sucks (he doesn't) or has a bad relationship with his teammates (I doubt that) but because it's just going to be hard to keep everyone we need given the other contracts that we have coming down the pike (Tatum, White, Holiday) and unless Brad wants to be a luxury tax repeater AND constant second apron team someone has to go and I think Jaylen is probably the most expendable, especially if we can get 2 pieces in the $30m range for him so split up that contract. It might not happen for a couple of years but I think it happens before the contract ends. It depends how much of a discount Jrue agrees to for a longer term deal a la Horford, and whether not they end up giving White a near max. In the meantime the goal would be to win a championship (or two) in that window before he has to be moved.