NBA Insider Chris Haynes recently reported that the Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo had a meeting with multiple teammates to tell them not to let the trade discussions around him distract their focus.
Following the pushback from Kyle Kuzma and Kevin Porter Jr., the NBA world was left confused on whether or not this even happened. Former NBA players Kendrick Perkins and Richard Jefferson saw this incident and decided to address it on their podcast, ‘The Road Trippin Show,’ with Channing Frye and Allie Clifton.
The two former NBA champions nearly burst into an argument when Perkins called Giannis Antetokounmpo a “coward.”
“Giannis is a coward. Giannis is a coward,” said Perkins as Jefferson hit a face palm in disbelief. “Let’s just call it spade for spade.”
“We wouldn’t even be having these conversations, we wouldn’t be having these back-and-forths, wondering, ‘hey, you know what? Shams is reporting this, simultaneously Chris Haynes is reporting that, Doc Rivers is coming to the podium and saying that we never had this conversation, and Kyle Kuzma is saying that we didn’t have this meeting, all this b***sh** because Giannis is a coward, and I say that respectfully.”
“No, wait–” interrupted a shocked Jefferson. “Hold on, keep quiet, man,” responded Perkins while asking to finish his statement.
“I say that respectfully, because he [clearly] doesn’t want to be there! And it’s okay! Instead of him just coming out and saying, ‘trade me! trade me!’ I don’t want to hear that it was reported by Brian Windhorst that Giannis went to the front office– just publicly come out and say, ‘trade me,’ and stand on it,” said Perkins as the camera cut to Jefferson, who looked stunned.
“He needs to come out and say, ‘Yes, my time is up,’ because I’m tired of it, bro,” concluded Perkins.
“Who are you, me, her, Channing, to tell Giannis how to handle the exit from a team that he won an MVP, a championship, and a Finals MVP with. Who are we to tell him how to handle this? They have a team… and you’re talking about ‘I’m tired of this’. No one gives a f**k, Giannis doesn’t give a f**k what you’re tired about, nor should he, respectfully,” Jefferson argued.
“Then why should we give a f**k about what he’s doing?” responded a perplexed Perkins.
“Because we’re covering basketball, we’re covering the game!” yelled Jefferson in response. Richard simply explained that the NBA world needs to respect the internal processes of a franchise instead of urging him to make a public trade demand.
“No! No! Bro, I just want you to stop hiding your hand,” Perkins clarified.
“He doesn’t have to hide his hand, he doesn’t have to f**king show you, me, or anybody else his hand,” Jefferson screamed in response.
“A team can do whatever they want with a player; they can trade him in the dark, tell him they’re going to put his jersey up… now you’re sitting here saying he’s got to show his hand? Teams don’t do it. Time and time and time again.”
“And now we sit here and make Giannis the villain? Because every time a player makes a decision, it’s personal, but when a team makes a decision, it’s business? For Giannis, this is business. Y’all figure it, y’all know what I want, I want out of here, I’m not going to do it publicly because I don’t want to deal with that,” Jefferson further argued.
And while Perkins remained perplexed about why Antetokounmpo is loud about everything else except his own wishes, Jefferson retained his stance, saying the Bucks superstar does not owe anyone an explanation.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has seemingly done everything short of telling the Bucks straight away to trade him. While Perkins believes this to be cowardly, Jefferson thinks nobody on their show is in a position to tell Giannis Antetokounmpo how to exit from a team that he’s brought significant glory to.
The Greek superstar is currently sidelined with a right calf strain and missed the Bucks’ surprising 116-101 win over the Celtics tonight. He is currently averaging 28.9 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 6.1 assists while shooting 63.9% from the field.
While the Bucks remain hopeful about ensuring that Antetokounmpo stays in Milwaukee, a public trade request could be backbreaking for them. The Bucks are currently 11-15 for the season and look far from being contenders. But trading Giannis away would definitely put them in a rebuild mode and years away from being potentially contending.
Do you think that Giannis should request a trade and end the uncertainty? Or can the Bucks do something to prevent their superstar from leaving? Let us know what you think in the comments section.
