Report: Nets ‘Have Always Been About’ Adding Giannis Antetokounmpo

According to NetsDaily, the Brooklyn Nets “have always been about” adding Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The Milwaukee Bucks are 1-4 on the season and have looked bad on both sides of the ball. 

According to Bill Reiter of CBS Sports, Antetokounmpo wants to play for the Nets or Miami Heat if he leaves the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Bucks lost to the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the 2024 playoffs in the first year of the Antetokounmpo-Damian Lillard era. 

“They tell me it’s up to Doc now, that they’re going to wait 20 games and then see what Doc wants,” said one person familiar with the Bucks’ front-office inner-workings. “It sounds like it’s a mess.”

A future Hall of Famer, Antetokounmpo has career averages of 23.4 points, 9.8 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.2 blocks. He led the Bucks to the 2021 championship against the Phoenix Suns.

According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, rival execs hope the Bucks fail this season so Antetokounmpo thinks about leaving. 

“As I shared with Antetokounmpo, rival front office executives are hoping the Bucks fail miserably so that he might consider an NBA life outside of Milwaukee,” Amick wrote. “(He is signed through the 2026-27 season and has a player option worth $62.7 million in 2027-28.) If Lillard struggles to be at his best again in a Bucks jersey, trade calls will inevitably come Milwaukee’s way about him. (He’s owed a combined $161.4 million for the next three seasons, with a player option in 2026-27.)”

Antetokounmpo is averaging 28.8 points, 11.8 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 0.3 steals and 0.5 blocks this season while shooting 62.0% from the field and 55.1% from the free-throw line.