Giannis Antetokounmpo stirs trade rumors with exasperated postgame comments

The Milwaukee Bucks finally had a reason to feel hope, snapping a six-game losing streak with a win against the Utah Jazz on Thursday. Sure, it's only the Jazz, but the Bucks finally found a way to earn their second win of the year. They had a chance to maintain their momentum on Friday against a New York Knicks team that had been inconsistent to start the season. It's safe to say they did not do that.

The Bucks were non-competitive from the start, trailing by 19 at the end of the first half and losing by a final score of 116-94. They are now 2-7 on the season, tied for 13th in an underwhelming Eastern Conference. The only teams below them in the overall standings are the Jazz and the Philadelphia 76ers, the two teams that Milwaukee has beaten this season.

It's safe to say that nobody on the Bucks side was happy with their performance. Nobody seemed to be more frustrated, though, than star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo's postgame comments fuel more trade rumors

Antetokounmpo wasn't shy in the slightest in calling out his teammate's lack of compete in what wound up being an embarrassing loss. He was frustrated not only because they seemingly threw away a game that they might've been able to win had they competed, but because this game happened to be at Madison Square Garden - an arena Antetokounmpo clearly loves playing in and only gets the opportunity to do so once or twice per regular season. It was embarrassing that they lost in that environment in the fashion that they did.

Antetokounmpo has every reason to be frustrated. He has been playing his usual MVP-level basketball, averaging 30.1 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. He had 24 points, 12 rebounds, and two blocks in New York. Still, the team has only two wins, and they've already lost five games by double digits.

With an older roster that is underperforming expectations drastically, it's hard not to wonder about whether a trade demand could be coming. Antetokounmpo has played his entire 12-year career with the Bucks and is under contract through the 2027-28 season. Trade rumors surfaced earlier this season amidst Milwaukee's struggles, and now it's hard not to think about them when Antetokounmpo seems to be as frustrated as he's ever been.

It's early, and there's still time for the Bucks to turn their season around, but every game in which the Bucks look old and overmatched will only add to Antetokounmpo's frustration. There's no reason to expect a trade unless Antetokounmpo demands one, but with how frustrated he sounds, that might come sooner than anyone could've expected.