Taylor Jenkins moved quickly to quiet any concerns about his relationship with Giannis Antetokounmpo after taking over as the Milwaukee Bucks’ new head coach. With questions swirling around Giannis’ long-term future and his role in the coaching search, Jenkins made it clear the connection between him and the two-time MVP is already on a firm footing.

“Giannis and I have a great relationship, great communication so far, he’s been so welcoming to me,” Jenkins stated shortly after his new job confirmation.

Jenkins, who served as an assistant to Mike Budenholzer in Milwaukee during the 2018-19 season before going to the Memphis Grizzlies as a head coach, believes their shared history is a vital asset. “A lot of our communication has just been about re-establishing that relationship. Obviously I was in Milwaukee for only a year, so now it’s kind of building on that respect that we had for each other for the last seven years, and kind of just talking about this opportunity to come back to Milwaukee,” he added.

Amid swirling speculation regarding whether the Bucks star was involved in the coaching search, Jenkins wasted no time reaffirming that the connection between the bench boss and the franchise cornerstone is on solid ground, even as major organizational decisions loom this offseason.

“For me, it’s kind of controlling the controllables. Again, easier said than done. Lots of decisions looming for sure,” Jenkins said. “I got a great partnership and a lot of trust in Jon [Horst]. Obviously, Jimmy [Haslam], Wes [Edens] and the ownership to kind of navigate all of the things that are on the horizon for us. But great communication, great respect, great relationship with Giannis so far. We’ll navigate it and figure it out.”

Jenkins, who served as an assistant to Mike Budenholzer in Milwaukee during the 2018-19 season before going to the Memphis Grizzlies as a head coach, believes their shared history is a vital asset.

This hire is seen by many as a strategic move to appease Antetokounmpo, who played just 36 games this season due to injury. Despite the shortened campaign, he remained a force, averaging 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 5.4 assists while shooting a career-high 62.4 percent from the field. For what it’s worth, Antetokounmpo has welcomed the move.

He told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, “I think he’s an incredible person,” about Jenkins. “Obviously, he’s an incredible coach. I was able to be with him in 2019, and we made the Eastern Conference finals.”

He commended Jenkins for turning the Grizzlies into real contenders and was positive about the culture he brings to the Bucks. “I had the conversation. I don’t think Milwaukee is just getting just a good coach, I think they’re getting a good person. And that’s where it starts with. Having a good person around that’s gonna be able to set the tone, that sets the culture and what Milwaukee Bucks basketball is all about. He’s a really good coach.”

The Bucks are hardly the first franchise to prioritize repairing and strengthening the relationship between a superstar and a newly hired coach. Similar dynamics played out when the Los Angeles Lakers brought in Darvin Ham to reconnect with LeBron James during a turbulent stretch, with the organization emphasizing communication and alignment from day one.

Unlike an outsider entering cold, Jenkins already has credibility with Giannis dating back to their 2018-19 run to the Eastern Conference Finals, giving the Bucks a foundation to work from as speculation around the superstar’s future intensifies.

While Giannis is positive about the hiring, he insinuated it doesn’t weigh on his looming decision, as when asked about it, Antetokounmpo cryptically said, “We’ll see.”

Jenkins’ familiarity with Giannis is expected to be the bedrock of a revamped Bucks culture as they look to move past a disappointing regular season that saw them fall out of postseason contention for the first time in a decade. But they need more to silence the growing noise regarding a potential roster shakeup.

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s trade rumors take an ‘overrated’ turn

Taylor Jenkins’ comments on re-establishing internal chemistry have a far deeper connotation. All season, Giannis Antetokounmpo has been outspoken about a locker room disconnect, which has gone hand in hand with his trade rumors. While Jenkins’ first order of business would be to fix the one problem Giannis saw, the external noise regarding an Antetokounmpo trade has reached a fever pitch.

On the latest episode of Run It Back, NBA insider Sam Amick discussed potential landing spots and the specific names being floated in the Giannis sweepstakes. One name that keeps surfacing in hypothetical blockbuster talks is Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun.

“Sengun is the one… I don’t know if Milwaukee likes Sengun that much but that’s the one people talk about. If you flipped Sengun for Giannis, you know do something like that, but we’ll see,” Amick noted.

The idea of moving a generational talent like Antetokounmpo for a rising star like Sengun has polarized the basketball world, especially following a recent poll by The Athletic. According to Amick, Sengun was voted the league’s “most overrated player” by his peers.

Former NBA player Chandler Parsons echoed this sentiment during the discussion, bluntly stating, “The most overrated player in the NBA is Sengun.” The Athletic employee, Amick, confirmed the poll results, adding, “Yeah, that is a thing. That did happen.”

For the Bucks, these rumors present a complicated dilemma. While Sengun’s playmaking and post-scoring are elite for his age, his “overrated” tag among fellow players suggests a gap between his perceived value and his actual impact. Sengun’s now been eliminated from the first round of the playoffs twice, and fans are questioning whether a swap including him would undervalue Antetokounmpo.

Meanwhile, Antetokounmpo’s contract situation looms large in Milwaukee. This offseason won’t just be about his decision to stay or leave. It’s also about the new head coach’s ability to solidify his bond with Giannis and the entire team.

If Jenkins rebuilds the team culture, it will likely determine whether the superstar remains the face of Milwaukee or if the front office begins seriously entertaining the wild trade packages currently doing the rounds.