“The connection I have with Dame in our second year together is better than the connection I had with Khris in our second year together,” Giannis Antetokounmpo said, back in March when he dispelled any rumors of having issues building a connection with Damian Lillard. Although, for the second year running, their championship ended in the first round of the playoffs. With trade rumors rampant about both stars or either one of them leaving the franchise, currently, it doesn’t change their equation.

The Bucks uploaded a video on Instagram with the caption, “Bucks core.” It encapsulated various behind-the-scenes clips and players’ hilarious moments from this past season. The video started with their superstar duo, practicing shadow boxing before the game. Lillard was unfazed by the 6-feet-11 Greek Freak’s skill and can be heard saying, “I’m from Africa, too.” Lillard reminisced about that tunnel moment in his story.

The 34-year-old added the caption, “Bout to get that African s— touched up @giannis_an34 🤣🤣🤣🤣.” There was another moment of the duo that featured in the video. This time, it was the 2x MVP pulling the leg of his teammate. Back in February, Giannis interrupted Lillard’s post-game locker room interview by singing GloRilla and S— Red’s song ‘Watchu Kno About Me.’ For context, GloRilla at the time shared a post wooing the Bucks star.

Yes, she posted an image of him following the All-Star break, writing, “Who n—- dis is? Cause I want him #GetEmGlo.” Naturally, Antetokounmpo was not going to miss the moment of putting his teammate on the spot. Dame remained calm and chuckled while saying, “This dude is crazy, bro.”—another moment that perfectly describes their bond, not limited to just on-court activities. That’s why Giannis re-shared the story from Lillard on his story despite the strong talk of both leaving the franchise. Even though he didn’t add any caption, the relationship between the two has always been about brotherhood.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard might entangle in the West

Since Dame suffered an Achilles injury in April this year, there is no timeline available which states his participation in the next season. With three first-round exits already, the Bucks have waited long enough to be serious contenders. That’s why trade talks for both of their superstars are rampant. If both players get traded, they might meet in the West but not as teammates.

Per veteran insider Brett Siegel, the Spurs could set their eyes on ‘The Greek Freak’ if they pull out of their pursuit of Kevin Durant. According to Shams Charania, San Antonio is one of KD’s three preferred destinations. But if the Suns and Spurs fail to agree on a deal, going after Giannis Antetokounmpo could be the obvious pivot. And the future of Damian Lillard, too, depends on the Phoenix Suns. As the Bucks have once again reportedly set their eyes on Bradley Beal.

This mid-season, there were chances of Beal coming to Milwaukee with Khris Middleton going the other way. Now, Bucks have already shipped Middleton and are now looking to ship another veteran, Lillard, to court the Suns’ star. As the off-season for the team is already underway, and Orlando Magic-Grizzlies already kicked off the trade domino. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for Giannis and Lillard, if they stay put with the Bucks or go their separate ways.