Carmelo Anthony Is Certain About Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Future as Personal Relationship Brings Bad News for Warriors

The NBA offseason rumor mill is already in overdrive, and at the center of it all is Giannis Antetokounmpo. With the Milwaukee Bucks falling short—again—and Damian Lillard likely sidelined next season, whispers of Giannis eyeing the exit door are growing louder by the day. Could the Greek Freak really leave despite signing a massive extension? While trade speculation continues to swirl, not everyone’s buying it. In fact, one NBA legend is shutting the talk down entirely—and he’s not mincing words.

The Bucks’ chances of getting back in the title picture anytime soon are looking bleak. So, Giannis could seek other destinations that give him a better shot at winning the championship while he is still in his prime.

However, Knicks legend Carmelo Anthony believes Giannis is going nowhere. During his latest appearance on Podcast P with Paul George, Melo shut down the Milwaukee star’s trade buzz with a bold claim, “He ain’t going nowhere man. We gotta chill out.” A major reason is the unavailability of suitable trade offers for a superstar of Giannis’ calibre. Even when co-host Kazeem Famuyide proposed a potential Giannis – Kevin Durant exchange, the Hall of Famer was very skeptical about it.

“If I’m the Phoenix Suns, and I wanna get up under KD, you know what I mean? There’s other pieces in there.” Kazeem suggested. Of course, everyone expects Durant to enter the trade market this summer after he failed to make the playoffs with the Suns. And KD trading places with Giannis sounds like a solid superstar for superstar exchange on paper. However, Melo did not like the idea one bit, “Bro, that’s not. That would be even worse if Milwaukee traded Giannis for KD. That would be even worse.”

As great as Durant is, he is an ageing superstar at 36-years-old. At this stage, many would claim that Giannis is a more impactful player than the two-time champ. Moreover, KD does not have a great history of leading a franchise alone, as he has not found much playoff success since leaving the Warriors six years ago. So, Melo’s concern in understandable, “That’s what I’m trying to say. You gotta really think about this. That’s why Giannis ain’t going nowhere.” Forget the Suns, Melo shut down every other potential trade option for Giannis, counting on his loyalty for his team. And guess what? The Bucks are also hoping for the same.

Bucks banking on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s relationship with Doc Rivers amid uncertain future as Paul George makes bold claim

While the Giannis-KD exchange did not intrigue Melo, there will surely be other offers on the table if The Greek Freak requests a trade. Many expect the Warriors to join the pursuit, as Joe Lacob has had interest in Giannis for a very long time, and teaming him up with Stephen Curry would make them instant title contenders. In exchange, Mike Dunleavy could offer the Bucks a promising future, with young stars like Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, and more.

But recent reports are not looking very promising for the Bay Area team. Turns out, the Bucks are counting on Giannis’ personal relationship with Doc Rivers to be a motivating factor to extend his stay in Milwaukee. Per The Stein Line, “The Bucks are also hoping that the presence of Doc Rivers as coach can provide some sort of boost. Antetokounmpo and Rivers are believed to have a strong working relationship.”

Although it’s been only two years since Doc became Giannis’ head coach, they have developed a strong bond during this span. Moreover, Antetokounmpo is one of the most loyal superstars in the NBA, having spent his entire career with the Bucks.

That’s why Paul George also agrees with Melo that he might not leave after all, “I think Giannis is that old era cut. I think he wanna stay in Milwaukee his whole career. I don’t see him wanting to leave. You know more so the international guys, they kind of stay where they’re drafted… It’s a legacy thing I think with Giannis in Milwaukee.”

But just personal relationships might not be enough to make Giannis stay. The Bucks need to assure that they are still gunning for a championship by making some pivotal moves this summer. Because Giannis has said it before, “As long as we are in for a championship, we are all good.” Now, it’s up to the Bucks front office to keep their biggest superstar in town by making him believe that their goals are aligned. Do you think they can do it?