Despite having one of the five best players in the NBA, the Milwaukee Bucks have stumbled out of the gate to start the 2024-25 season, with a 1-3 record. They recently lost to the lowly Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets, which prompted Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo to question his team, stating that "they don't have an identity."
Those comments could be taken a couple of ways. One being that Milwaukee isn't particularly good at one thing which isn't always bad. But given that the Bucks appear to be the fourth-best team in the Eastern Conference on paper, it certainly could be. Another way is that Giannis doesn't have faith in the current roster, or coach Doc Rivers, to be able to compete for a championship and his earlier trade comments imply that.
Giannis suggesting that the Bucks could trade him if they don't win another championship is an odd claim. Be that as it may, one reason he said that might be that he is trying to plant the seeds for an eventual trade request. That might be a ways away, if ever, but the pressure is definitely on for the Bucks to win this season.
Is Giannis Antetokounmpo sending the Milwaukee Bucks a message?
His latest comments might not be more than him stating a fact with Milwaukee not having something that they can point to as their calling card. Their defense is probably their biggest concern, with them ranking 23rd in defensive rating to start the season.
That will likely improve significantly but their ceiling on that end of the floor is limited, with them struggling to guard on the perimeter. Offensively, they have a much higher ceiling with Giannis and Damian Lillard. Lillard saw his production drop his first season in Milwaukee compared to his career-year in his last season in Portland.
Expecting a 34-year-old to put up similar numbers to his peak is not realistic but he could still stand to play better or at least more consistently than he did last season. The Bucks did a solid job of retooling in the offseason given their limitations, but their core of Giannis, Lillard, Khris Middleton, and Brook Lopez is aging.
Do the Bucks have what it takes to win a championship this season?
As currently constructed, the answer is probably no. The Boston Celtics are clearly the best team in the Eastern Conference, while the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers also appear to be better than the Bucks. Meanwhile, other teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Orlando Magic are in the mix.
The Bucks do have a path to being the third-best team in the East. And as long as they don't have to face the Celtics and Knicks en route to the Eastern Conference Finals, they have a chance to get there if everything goes well. That would probably come as a relief to Bucks fans, who have to be a bit antsy about Giannis' future with the team.