Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers is fed up with the constant trade rumors surrounding his superstar two-time MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Rivers appeared on the most recent episode of “The Bill Simmons Show” and addressed the heavy trade chatter, calling it “ridiculous.”
“It’s so ridiculous. And I’ve heard all these reports, you hear all this stuff but you don’t like it when you hear it because you know it’s not true, Bill. But still, your players hear it and everybody else hears it,” the 63-year-old said.
The Bucks drafted Antetokounmpo with the 15th overall pick in 2013 and his run with the franchise has included nine All-Star appearances, a pair of MVP awards, a Defensive Player of the Year honor and NBA title. Following its first championship in 50 years in 2021, however, Milwaukee has now failed to make it past the second round of the playoffs four straight times, including three consecutive first round eliminations.
“The Greek Freak” has been linked to the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs this spring, among other teams.
Doc Rivers Compares Antetokounmpo Rumors to Fake News Surrounding Former Celtics All-Star
When discussing the Antetokounmpo rumors, Rivers compared the situation to something he faced when coaching the Boston Celtics.
“And I remember telling you the story when I was in Boston: I’m on a treadmill working out. That’s when I could run still on a treadmill. And they announced that the Boston Celtics are about to trade Rajon Rondo I think to the Lakers. And I was like, ‘What?!’ And it was absurd. Like we had never had any conversations, but Rondo heard it, you know? And so that’s the only thing I don’t like about all this now,” he said.
Rajon Rondo was selected with the 21st overall pick during the 2006 NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns but immediately traded to Boston. Rondo then played the first eight-plus seasons of his career with the Celtics (spending seven years with Rivers and winning a championship) before being moved to the Dallas Mavericks in December 2014.
The Kentucky product did eventually find his way to the Los Angeles Lakers, but not until the 2018-19 campaign.
Rivers ‘Hoping’ Antetokounmpo Spends Entire Career With Bucks
Rivers told Simmons that despite the endless chatter, he’s confident that Antetokounmpo will stay with the Bucks.
“I don’t know how many more times Giannis has to say he wants to be a Buck and he wants to win a title with the Bucks and it’s so cool to me because it’s not the way it’s done anymore,” he said. “But with certain guys, I don’t think Steph Curry would ever leave Golden State ever and I’m hoping obviously Giannis feels the same way. That’s the way he’s been so far and it’s been great. It’s been awesome.”
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