Doc Rivers was not pleased when reporters brought up trade rumors surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo and the New York Knicks.
The Milwaukee Bucks’ head coach was quick to shut down any and all conversation surrounding Shams Charania’s reporting that Antetokounmpo was interested in playing for the Knicks this summer, and that the two teams engaged in trade conversations in August.
“New York emerged as the only team Giannis Antetokounmpo desired outside of Milwaukee in the offseason, sources told ESPN, and the Knicks and Bucks engaged in talks for a window of time,” Charania reported yesterday.
But according to Rivers, the report embellishes the situation surrounding the Bucks and their two-time MVP, and a trade is something that isn’t even being considered.
Rivers Refutes Report of a Conversation Between the Bucks and Knicks
After being asked specifically about the story from ESPN, Rivers hardly allowed The Athletic’s Eric Nehm to finish his question.
“I don’t. I really don’t. I mean, what are you supposed to say? I’ve been coaching 26, 27 years and one thing that I know is that 30 teams call 30 teams, all right. ‘Hey, would you like to trade Chris Paul?’ And you say no. That does not constitute a conversation, all right?” Rivers said via Nehm.
“You know, I read where it said several conversations, well, that never happened. It was a conversation where a team called and Jon [Horst] has been saying no now for 11 years. I don’t know why this is a new story, but I guess it is.”
While, of course, Rivers is going to publicly deny any trade conversations surrounding his team’s best player, it’s easy to imagine Antetokounmpo surveying his options this summer as the Milwaukee Bucks were trying to reshuffle their roster around him.
The New York Knicks are a clear contender in the Eastern Conference, while the Bucks, fresh off their third-straight first-round exit, face serious questions about the team’s ability to make a deep playoff run.
Giannis Comments on Knicks Rumors
Rivers wasn’t the only one asked about Charania’s report, as Antetokounmpo himself was asked by Nehm about his feelings surrounding the trade rumors.
“First of all, I haven’t read that story. When the season starts, I try to get off social media and I try to focus on my craft and the team, but yeah, I’ve said many times, I want to be in a situation that I can win and now I’m here. I believe in this team. I believe in my teammates,” Antetokounmpo told Nehm.
“So all the extra stuff does not matter. I think I’ve communicated with my teammates, communicated with the people I respect and love that the moment I step on this court or in this facility, I wear this jersey, the rest does not matter.”
The Milwaukee Bucks will prepare for the 2025-26 NBA season with their 2021 Finals MVP in the fold, for the time being.
The real questions will start to rise if the Bucks get off to a slow start or are out of playoff contention by the time the trade deadline rolls around.
Then, trade talks may rekindle surrounding Antetokounmpo.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Bucks’ Doc Rivers Vehemently Denies Giannis Antetokounmpo-Knicks Trade Rumors appeared first on Heavy Sports.