Giannis Antetokounmpo Joining Heat If They Beat Bucks?
If the Miami Heat upset the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, it may have massive ramifications for the entire league.
And considering the fact that Miami is one fourth of the way through accomplishing that feat, many are beginning to wonder about the possibilities.
On Tuesday, following the Heat’s 115-104 victory, The Athletic NBA insider Sam Amick reported that Giannis Antetokounmpo potentially jumping ship becomes a lot more likely should the Bucks get eliminated by Jimmy Butler and Co.
“I asked the aforementioned front office executive which team Antetokounmpo might wind up with if Miami goes on to finish this job and create such havoc for the Bucks,” he wrote. “‘The Heat,’ the NBA executive said.”
Drugs are not cheap. https://t.co/lZhVrF0bbM
— Game 7 (@game7__) September 1, 2020
It is worth remembering, Antetokounmpo still has a full year left on his deal with the Bucks. Even if Miami really does upset his squad this season, it is not like he can simply pack his bags and leave.
That said – the Heat have Pat Riley. And if anyone can put together a package that nets him a disgruntled superstar in return for spare parts, it is the 75-year-old NBA icon.
Antetokounmpo would obviously need to be very angry to want off the Bucks, but he has been getting increasingly ticked off with his team’s hard road to the Finals as of late.
On Monday night, he snapped at a reporter for asking a fairly normal, non-confrontational question.
The reporter simply wondered if he had asked to guard the seemingly unstoppable Jimmy Butler in the fourth quarter of Game 1.
“To guard him? No, I didn’t,” he replied. “Why would you ask that? I’ll do whatever coach wants me to do.”
Clearly, the reigning league MVP is on edge. What sort of decisions that will eventually lead to remains to be seen.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Is Trying To Hold It Together
Despite Monday night’s outburst, Antetokounmpo is trying to hold it together. Although the loss to the Heat was painful, it was not the first Game 1 Milwaukee has dropped in recent times.
Antetokounmpo alluded to that after the outing.
“We’ve been here before,” he said.
“Going down 0-1 against Orlando, we did the same thing last year against Boston … We’ve got to come out and play Game 2, man. It’s a big game. Our season is on the line. We’ve got to come out, play hard, watch the tape, make the adjustment, be aggressive, make the right play and hopefully we can win the game.”
James Harden kept it real after Russell Westbrook cost Houston the game. https://t.co/cg3Lal09DU
— Game 7 (@game7__) September 1, 2020
One big area of improvement for Antetokounmpo will need to be free throw shooting.
In the first game of the second round, he shot four of twelve from the line. That is bad. Really bad.
Something will need to change as far as free throw shooting goes, but Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer seems to think it is just a matter of his superstar getting his confidence back.
“He just has to stick with his routine, stick with what he’s been doing, continue to have a lot of confidence, continue to attack, continue to get to the free throw line,” he said.
“He is going to make them. We have total faith in him.”
One way or another, the Bucks absolutely have to get it together. If they don’t, the organization may suffer a fate from which it will have a very tough time recovering.
Related: Joel Embiid Sends Jimmy Butler Sad Message After Heat Win
A graduate from the University of Texas, Anthony Amador has been credentialed to cover the Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and high school games all over the Lone Star State. Currently, his primary beats are the NBA, MLB, NFL and UFC.
