Time may be running out for the Bucks as Giannis' frustration boils over

When the Milwaukee Bucks traded for Damian Lillard in 2023, expectations rose and they were instantly considered the favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference and compete for a championship.

The honeymoon stage started off great after the trade, but things have spiraled out of control since. Through the first 43 games of the 2023-24 campaign, the Bucks were 30-13 and sitting firmly in second place in the Eastern Conference. 

Midway through the season, Milwaukee fired Adrian Griffin and replaced him with Doc Rivers and everything has been downhill since. The Bucks had a 17-19 record over the final 36 games and with two-time MVP Giannis Antentokounmpo sidelined with a calf injury and Lillard battling through an Achilles injury, the Bucks were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the sixth-seeded Indiana Pacers. 

Things haven’t gotten any better since their early exit in the postseason. With Doc at the helm, Milwaukee has a 19-27 record and it’s no coincidence that they went from one of the better defensive teams to one of the worst defensive teams in the process.

That’s not to say Doc is the only problem. There are plenty of holes in the roster, and the new CBA coupled with a lack of future draft pick control makes it practically impossible to improve the roster. 

The trade for Lillard was an attempt to show Giannis the franchise was committed to building a championship team and convince the superstar to sign a contract extension. While the plan may have worked in that regard as Giannis almost immediately signed a three-year $186 million contract extension, the team hasn’t done much to keep him happy since and isn’t in a position to change that anytime soon.

Giannis’ time with the Milwaukee Bucks may be coming to an end.

After a loss to the Brooklyn Nets in October, he stated the team has no identity. Most recently, following a 22-point loss to the New York Knicks Giannis went on an expletive-laden rant expressing his frustration with the team’s current state and lack of competitive fire. He even told someone off-camera, “If you don’t want to be here then leave,” putting his frustration on full display. 

Throughout his career, the Greek Freak has made it clear to anyone who would listen that he does not like to lose. Coming off a first-round playoff exit at the hands of the Miami Heat in the 2023 playoffs, he implied he wouldn’t commit to a contract extension until the front office proved its commitment to winning. Although the Lillard trade was a step in the right direction, the Bucks are a long way from title contenders and Giannis’ anger and frustration are warranted.

All the losing, in conjunction with no tradeable assets courtesy of the Lillard and Jrue Holiday trades and cash-strapped in salary cap hell, has led to increased speculation of a potential Giannis trade. The Bucks don’t have an easy path to improvement let alone victory. At the time of this writing, the Bucks are 2-8 and if they don’t find a solution fast, it may only be a matter of time before Giannis demands a trade.