The Bucks aren’t just dealing with questions about Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future. They’re pushing back on the people asking them.
Co-owner Jimmy Haslam took a clear shot at what he called “certain ESPN writers” while addressing the ongoing speculation surrounding Antetokounmpo.
“I just want to stress that our relationship with him, despite what is reported by certain ESPN writers, is very positive,” Haslam said, via TMJ4 News.
He didn’t name names. He didn’t have to.
The comment comes after weeks of reporting from Shams Charania, who described a “fractured relationship” between Antetokounmpo and the organization. That report set off a wave of reaction inside the franchise.
Former coach Doc Rivers was among the first to respond. He dismissed the idea outright during an appearance on FanDuel’s Run It Back.
“We have a great relationship,” Rivers said at the time. “Shams wrote an article that was so inaccurate… I was laughing.”
Rivers pointed to a heated locker room exchange after a blown lead to the Bulls, calling it normal NBA frustration. He even joked, “Where’s Woj? I miss Woj so much,” referencing longtime insider Adrian Wojnarowski.
Then things escalated. Rivers stepped down not long after, and Charania doubled down during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.
“If they spent as much time dealing with their own internal dynamics as they do responding to accurate reports,” Charania said, “they wouldn’t be in the mess that they’re in right now.”
He went further, comparing the situation to Fyre Festival and suggesting the Bucks were in “cover-up” mode.
That back-and-forth has only added to the tension surrounding one of the league’s biggest stars. Antetokounmpo has not requested a trade, but the noise has not slowed.
If anything, it’s getting louder, and now it’s coming from both inside and outside the building.
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