"Because Jrue Holiday was involved" - NBA Insider reveals Giannis Antetokounmpo was clueless about Damian Lillard trade
Giannis Antetokounmpo had no clue about the Milwaukee Bucks' decision to trade for Damian Lillard this week.
According to longtime NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, who spoke on NBA Today, Antetokounmpo was unaware of the situation.
Given that The Greek Freak reportedly vetoed a trade for Jimmy Butler years ago, it sounds as though the Bucks front office didn't want to take any chances.
While the move will notably see Antetokounmpo play alongside a lethal scorer who he can run the pick-and-roll with, the two don't have the same relationship as Holiday. As such, it sounds as though the Bucks wanted to keep the former MVP out of the hot seat.
On NBA Today, Adrian Wojnarowski spoke about the situation while discussing things with Malkia Andrews. While some alleged he was doing damage control for Giannis Antetokounmpo, it sounds as though The Greek Freak truly was unaware of the deal before it took place.
"He literally played no role, ... Milwaukee's GM, he did not bring this trade idea ... to Giannis Antetokounmpo because Jrue Holiday was involved. And the relationship there, the reverence that this organization and these players hav for Holiday, he did not want to put that to Giannis Antetokounmpo and have that on his conscience. ...
"He decided, ultimately, this is a decision I have to make as a GM along with ownership and so while Giannis didn't have any real direct influence on it, certainly in the broader scope, Jon Horst makes this decision, the Bucks make this decision, believing it gives them the best chance to win more titles."
Looking at what the future holds for Jrue Holiday after departing Milwaukee following Giannis Antetokounmpo & Damian Lillard pairing
With Jrue Holliday being included as part of the trade that landed Damian Lillard in Milwaukee, the big question now is where the NBA vet goes from here.
Currently, he finds himself on the Portland Trail Blazers roster, where, by many accounts, he isn't expected to remain.
With the Blazers trading away not only Lillard but also Jusuf Nurkic, there's a belief that Holiday and the Blazers will work together on a trade.
While some fans have held out hope that a trade could bring him back to Milwaukee to play alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, that isn't likely to be the case.
According to a number of reports, while there are a number of teams interested in acquiring Holiday, he has his sights set on one of two teams: the LA Lakers or the Miami Heat.
Of course, on the flip side, reports have indicated that the Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls, and a number of other teams are all interested in him.
With the NBA season set to tip off in October, only time will tell how things play out for Holiday, as well as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, and the Bucks.