Why Giannis Antetokounmpo's Bucks' future is in question amid ugly start: 'Teams are in circles'

The Milwaukee Bucks are 1-3. A massive schedule awaits them in the next 10 days. And that fleeting idea of ​​hope – that it is so too early in such a case, panic young season — doesn't fit with the growing confidence across the NBA that Milwaukee's star player could become available if things get ugly enough.

If you're a Bucks fan, there's already a lot to worry about – even more than you can tell from their chaotic play so far.

Doc Rivers, who has held the job since January, is now only 20 to 26 years old as their coach, including the playoffs. Khris Middleton remains out due to injury. The team's defense has been poor since last season, even under Doc. They've already lost to the Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets this season, hardly heavyweights in the Eastern Conference.

All of this could lead to the very place the Bucks organization fears most: Giannis Antetokounmpo in another team's jersey.

“The teams are in circles – and full of hope,” said a Western Conference team manager.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if it happened by the trade deadline,” said a top executive from a team that could be in the mix.

An Eastern Conference NBA executive has already heard which places are likely Giannis' preferred destinations: “The teams I've heard are Miami and New York – the Nets, not the Knicks.”

There are other teams that theoretically have the resources to pursue a player of Giannis' caliber. The Oklahoma City Thunder definitely comes to mind, and I asked the Eastern Conference manager if the Thunder could potentially play if Milwaukee's big man wants out at some point.

“I haven't mentioned them yet, but yeah, if you're Milwaukee, you could just say, 'I don't give a fuck what you want. If you want out, we'll get the best deal we have.' may.' And Oklahoma City could definitely offer a good deal.

And yes – yes, yes, yes – it is early. It's not November yet. But not so early that some opposing teams would view Milwaukee's struggles as anything other than joy.

There's also another backstory in Milwaukee that could prompt Giannis to leave. Many people in the NBA have heard that Rivers, known for his internal political maneuvering, has already convinced the owner to the point where he is now the primary voice in basketball decisions.

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

As for a Giannis trade, he fueled that fire himself a few weeks ago when he alluded to the idea of ​​being traded if things go badly this season while speaking to The Athletic's Sam Amick.

“If we don’t win this year, would you be fired?” the Bucks star asked an employee, according to Amick’s report. “Do you have that in the back of your mind: '(What) if this year doesn't go well?' Yes, if we don't win a championship, I might be replaced. Yes, this is the job we live in. This affects everyone.

All of this drama, on and possibly off the field, could play into the hands of teams that have been waiting to take on Giannis for years. He is a former MVP and still one of the top three NBA players. If you can add “angry” to the list at some point, things could change quickly.

Giannis' 2021 NBA Championship triumph shattered some of those daydreams. This also applies to the three-year, $186 million contract extension he signed a year ago.

That's why even these difficulties early in the season – and they could become very apparent in the next few weeks – have the potential to have a profound impact. They could redefine the options for teams that covet a bona fide superstar or have the wherewithal to trade him.

The Bucks play the Grizzlies on Thursday night, and if Ja Morant is healthy, they could easily wake up to 1-4 on Friday. So far, their only meager win was against a Sixers team without Joel Embiid and Paul George. The next five games going to Memphis: Cavs, Cavs, Jazz, Knicks, Celtics.

A Doc Rivers doubter You might be tempted to close your eyes and imagine that there will be a 2-8 Bucks team come November 11th.

That would be brutal for a Bucks organization reeling after its big, bold gamble went wrong last season. Trading Damian Lillard wasn't the move that took us to the next level that many expected. Jrue Holiday's exit in this deal not only weakened the defense and undermined the kind of winning alchemy and reliability in crucial moments that this team now lacks – it also ultimately helped strengthen the Celtics' still-emerging juggernaut and build.

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And then there are rivers.

He failed to develop the enormous talent in Los Angeles with the Clippers, and those players, as well as their coach, were eventually scattered elsewhere. He went to Philly, and that team also came up short – and watched as many of its pieces moved on or became punchlines: James Harden came in and out again, Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris traveled to other teams and moved from high-paid talent to cautionary tales.

Does Rivers bear any responsibility? Yes. Has he ever shown an ounce of willingness to accept it? History seems to suggest, ah no. If you're Giannis, your 30th birthday is coming up and the league is looking more and more disheartening with each passing season, do you trust Doc Rivers to right this ship and ensure your legacy?

We have all seen that when Rivers teams go off the rails, they tend to stay that way. In Doc's world, dysfunction can be contagious. Fear can become the norm. And often players want to get out – or, looking back, wish they had really wanted to.

For the Bucks, that mix in Milwaukee isn't ideal in a league where contracts mean nothing if a star wakes up one morning and wants to be somewhere else.

At the head of the head coach is a politician who poses as a magician whose tricks have long since lost their shine. Lillard isn't yet a good match for Giannis like we expected. The defense is still bad. The offensive stagnated. The depth is poor, the team's third star is hurting once again and the atmosphere is leaning toward the dire. They seem to be as far from a championship-caliber team as one could imagine considering where they thought they were a year ago today.

Early days? Too early? Nothing to see here?

That's what former and future teams always say just before their superstar announces those three brutal words: “I want out.”