"He can be thin-skinned with the media" - Skip Bayless warns Giannis Antetokounmpo about consequences of strong media comments in LA and New York
Giannis Antetokounmpo has no qualms about voicing his frustrations as they arise. Late last season, after his Milwaukee Bucks were shockingly eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, Antetokounmpo went viral for laying into a media member.
At the time, he expressed his frustration regarding the narrative surrounding the team's defeat, pushing back on the notion that coming up short of a title meant failure. More recently, Antetokounmpo has been vocal about the fact that if the Bucks aren't serious about winning, he won't be signing a contract extension.
The situation seems to be nearly the opposite of the last time Giannis Antetokounmpo was due for an extension, prior to the team winning an NBA title. At that time, The Greek Freak decided to sign an extension early so that he and the team could focus on winning.
The move eventually paid off; however, with Khris Middleton struggling with injuries last season and Jrue Holiday teasing the idea of retirement, things seem different. Amid reports that the New York Knicks and LA Lakers are interested in acquiring Giannis in 2025, popular analyst Skip Bayless weighed in on his show Undisputed:
"He has been able to play in virtual shadows in Milwaukee, small media ... but Giannis has demonstrated sometimes a little thin-skinned with the media. He can get a little prickly, a little salty real quick with the media.
"Better be careful what you wish for because you come here, as you know about New York and LA markets. All of a sudden, you can’t get away with that on a nightly basis here like you can in Milwaukee where they're just down on their knees saying 'please don't leave'."
Looking at whether or not Giannis Antetokounmpo could really land in New York or LA
Given that Giannis Antetokounmpo will be one of the most high-profile free agents on the market, let's take a look at whether the Knicks or the LA Lakers can sign him.
Currently, the Knicks have a number of high-value contracts on the books, something that will hold true through 2025, when Antetokounmpo hits free agency.
In addition to Julius Randle's $32.4 million-per-year deal that includes a player option, Jalen Brunson is set to make $24.9 million a year with a player option as well.
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On top of that, R.J. Barrett will be making $27.7 million, while Josh Hart will make $19.4 million. As such, it seems that if the Knicks want to have hope of acquiring Antetokounmpo, their best route would be via trade. With that being said, the Milwaukee Bucks may not be too eager to move the former MVP.
On the flip side, the LA Lakers seem to have more financial room to maneuver. By the time Giannis Antetokounmpo hits free agency in 2025, the team will have quite a bit of available cap space to make a big move.
In addition, Antetokounmpo also recently invested in an LA-based golf team, indicating he may have his sights set on Los Angeles going forward.
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