A dream is a wish your heart makes
When you’re watching the Chicago Bulls lose
In dreams, you will lose your heartache
When Giannis becomes your muse …
The Milwaukee Bucks find themselves in a precarious situation. Down 3-1 to the Indiana Pacers, the organization is on the brink of its third straight first-round exit. They have gone through three head coaches during this span and have also now lost their complementary superstar to a tragic Achilles tear. All of this while having arguably the second-best player in the world on their roster. Not great!
Giannis Antetokounmpo remains a perennial MVP candidate and an overpowering force of nature. He can single-handedly carry a team to the postseason, but everyone can agree that his talent warrants far more than a mere appearance. Indeed, this is why it is starting to feel like only a matter of time before Antetokounmpo comes to his senses. The 30-year-old is not getting any younger, and the Milwaukee Bucks have failed to help him even sniff the promised land since the 2021 season.
To be sure, Antetokounmpo has been nothing short of loyal to the franchise since he heard his name called in the 2013 NBA Draft. Riding out the storm may very well continue to be the Greek Freak’s plan. However, if he does begin to feel antsy about his future, there will be no shortage of potential suitors lining up to talk. And I have to imagine this would include the Chicago Bulls!
Does this mean I would expect the Bulls to pull off a franchise-altering trade? Not at all. Unfortunately, the organization is likely stuck in line behind multiple teams that have more draft capital and/or higher-upside young talent to offer. Franchises like OKC, Brooklyn, Houston, and even Utah are rolling in draft capital. Meanwhile, teams like the Knicks and Orlando have potential star-level talent to pit on the table. Still, we should not forget that players of Antetokounmpo’s caliber typically have a say in where they end up. And, well, we know he may have a soft spot for Chicago!
© Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
Remember When Giannis Antetokounmpo Praised the Bulls?
Giannis Antetokounmpo turned some heads down I-94 during an interview in 2022. The Bucks star spoke about the respect he has for Michael Jordan’s old team, and he did anything but shut down the possibility of one day donning a red jersey.
“I think anybody you ask that question [to] who plays basketball, if he said no, he would be a liar. It’s a team that won multiple championships. It’s a team that one of the greatest players – if not the greatest player – played for, so it’s a no-brainer,” Antetokounmpo told the Fox Kickoff team in 2022. “Everybody would love to play for Chicago. Down the line, you never know. You never know how life brings it. Maybe I play for Chicago. But right now I’m committed to Milwaukee.”
Are we far enough down the line, Giannis? Look, I completely recognize that I am here. But what is the offseason for if not irrational confidence and blind faith!? Plus, this is kind of a head-turning statement to make about a division rival, which is why it did catch the attention of many at the time. Antetokounmpo could have completely shut down the topic or given a far shorter answer. He did not.
Once again, do I genuinely believe Antetokounmpo would be Chicago-bound if trade talks ever surfaced? No. The Bulls just aren’t in a great position to win a bidding war. However, this league is as unpredictable as they come, and the fact that he is on the record as an admirer of the Chicago Bulls is at least something.
