Doc Rivers claimed last week that his star player never asked for a trade. However, Giannis Antetokounmpo has shown almost every sign that he’s checked out of Milwaukee short of taking a trade. He’s made it clear he wants to continue his prime in an elite franchise while still upholding his Bucks teammates. Another franchise legend believes Doc needs to cut the cord already.

Reggie Miller spent his entire career with the Indiana Pacers. So almost no one wants to hear him say that a star player and a franchise should part ways. But he told Dan Patrick today that the Bucks should decide on Giannis “Sooner than later.”

Miller believes the Bucks head coach needs to answer some real questions. “If you’re Doc Rivers, and I know he’s said all the right things that Giannis has not come out and said he wants to be traded, but you just have to figure, are we wasting this young man’s prime years here?”

Doc is doing anything but addressing that. Antetokounmpo reportedly informed the Bucks front office on December 3 that he wanted to leave. The next day, Rivers told reporters, “I want to make it clear for the—I want to say one more time—for the 50th time, and clearly it’s not getting to one network, for sure, Giannis has never asked to be traded. Ever.”

When Giannis committed to remain in Milwaukee at the start of the season, the Bucks decided to build around him, which Miller acknowledged. The Bucks are looking at him as a longterm franchise star.

News served to you like never before!

Prefer us on Google, To get latest news on feed

Prefer Us on Google

But a month into the season, things have changed for both Giannis and the Bucks. While he’s been dealing with injuries and hiatuses, the Bucks are inconsistent.

Miller spelled out Giannis’ unenviable situation. “To me, he doesn’t want to be the a-hole. He doesn’t want to come out and be demonstrative and say, ‘I want to be traded.'”

Yet between Giannis and the Bucks, the Pacers legend picked a side. “But to me, he has earned the right. He brought them a championship.”

He’s basically implying that Giannis Antetokounmpo’s business is done in Milwaukee. He’s pursuing his personal aspirations, which he’s been talking about since Luka Doncic became the face of the Lakers.

However, even Doc and the Bucks are getting mixed signals from him.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Doc Rivers show contrasting opinions

When Doc Rivers denied any trade talks around Giannis, some speculated whether it was true or if he was out of that discussion. Then today at a practice, he said, “I’m not going to sit here and tell you what we’re talking about, but we’re not in a panic here. We’re not saying, ‘Oh my god, we need to change our team or anything like that.’ You can believe we’re not. We’re not at all.”

Doc was concerned that the team is getting affected while Giannis rehabs his injury. According to Chris Haynes, the potential Giannis trade stressed other Bucks players. It came to the point Giannis had to address his teammates directly.

“Sources have relayed to me that Giannis Antetokounmpo addressed some of his teammates recently to stress the importance of focusing on basketball,” Haynes said on NBA TV. “And not to allow outside distractions to interfere with the process at hand. I was told that his point was that he’s here at the time being, wanting to get better, wanting to make sure he gets his game back on point and back from this injury. He relayed the message that he can’t control what goes on or what even happens to him.”

As Reggie said, Giannis doesn’t want to be the bad guy to his teammates. He’s handling the reported negotiations while still being a leader in the locker room.

Currently, trade watchers are awaiting an injury update from Doc Rivers, which will confirm whether he will return to the Bucks or another team.