The moment the Milwaukee Bucks were eliminated from the playoffs, rumors started circulating that Giannis Antetokounmpo would leave the team. There were rumors that his representatives and the team officials should meet and discuss the future, but that meeting has yet to come. The latest reports are that the Bucks believe Doc Rivers staying in Milwaukee might make Giannis rethink his future. But how big of an influence is Doc? And what can the Bucks offer besides playing for Rivers?
The Bucks Have a Secret Weapon to Keep Giannis in Milwaukee
Marc Stein talked about the possibilities of Giannis staying in the Eastern Conference. The injury to Jayson Tatum changed the landscape of the Conference. While teams in Texas like the San Antonio Spurs and the Houston Rockets have the assets to pull off a Giannis trade, the new landscape might make him more interested in staying East. Here is what Stein said on the latest 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.”
Giannis certainly has a better relationship with Rivers than he did with his previous coach, Adrian Griffin. But just having Doc back is not enough to compete, even in the East. It’s worth noting that despite the rumors, Giannis has yet to officially request a trade.
The Doc Rivers Factor for Giannis Antetokounmpo
Rivers is one of the most polarizing coaches in the NBA. Many consider him one of the biggest losers because he is the only coach to blow a 3-1 lead three times. On the flip side, he is the fourth-winningest coach in the playoffs. Erik Spoelstra and Steve Kerr might catch him, but right now, Doc is fourth with 114 playoff wins. Spo has 110, and Kerr has 104. Only six coaches have had 100 playoff victories so far.
Rivers deserves a lot of credit for bringing a championship to Boston in the first year of the Big Three. He had another shot in 2010, but they fell to the Los Angeles Lakers. In Los Angeles, while coaching the Clippers, he had to battle injuries to key players all the time.
Are the Bucks Contenders?
The real question is whether the Milwaukee Bucks can get a championship-contending team. Right now, they seem far from that. Two years in a row, they lost to the Indiana Pacers in the first round. Yes, they won the NBA Cup. In a win-or-go-home game, you never bet against Giannis. But in a seven-game series, you need depth and complementary players.
Right now, the Bucks look like a team that will be under the luxury tax next season. They can get there by letting Brook Lopez, Gary Trent Jr, and Taurean Prince walk. They also have to wait and see what happens with Bobby Portis, Pat Connaughton, and Kevin Porter Jr, all of whom have a player option for next season.
The problem for the Bucks is that they have a $50 million player on the books in Damian Lillard, and he might not play at all next season. Their general manager, Jon Horst, recently got his contract extended. He is one of the most active managers on the trade block. But they do not have a tradeable pick in the next five years or coveted players for trades. With such limited assets, it is hard to see the Bucks making some big moves to improve the roster. Hope never dies, but will it help Milwaukee?
Featured image: © Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The post The Bucks Have a Secret Weapon to Keep Giannis in Milwaukee appeared first on Last Word On Basketball.