MILWAUKEE (AP) 鈥� Milwaukee Bucks general manager Jon Horst makes one thing perfectly clear about the challenge facing the franchise as it without Giannis Antetokounmpo.
鈥淣o one鈥檚 sitting here today and saying that we鈥檙e a better team today after trading Giannis,鈥� Horst said in a Zoom session with reporters Wednesday, two days after the that the Bucks had dealt the two-time MVP to the 鈥淗e鈥檚 one of the greatest players to ever play, greatest player in the franchise history.鈥�
But he maintained that making this move was in the best interest of both the Bucks and Antetokounmpo, who had one year remaining on his contract and had said repeatedly he wanted to play on a team committed to competing for championships.
The Bucks are coming off a that snapped a string of nine straight playoff appearances, as injuries limited Antetokounmpo to a career-low 36 games. They haven鈥檛 advanced beyond the Eastern Conference semifinals since to a
Horst said the Bucks didn鈥檛 feel forced into making a move because of Antetokounmpo鈥檚 contract status. He added that the Bucks remained uncertain regarding their plans for Antetokounmpo when they hired
鈥淲e truly believed we鈥檝e found an opportunity which is unique,鈥� Horst said. 鈥淲e might be right. We might be wrong. But an opportunity where this is what鈥檚 best for him and what he wants to pursue going forward, and this is what鈥檚 best for us and what we want to pursue going forward. And that鈥檚 why we made the decision. But it wasn鈥檛 a 鈥榟ave to鈥� (situation).鈥�
While this trade likely gives Antetokounmpo a better chance of winning a second title in the near future, the Bucks believe they can benefit from starting a new chapter.
The move represents a major change from the Bucks鈥� offseason approach last year, when they under the NBA鈥檚 stretch provision and signed former Indiana Pacers center in a risky attempt to extend their window as a possible contender.
鈥淲e went through an offseason last year and we believed that we had an opportunity to maximize something together,鈥� Horst said. 鈥淲e went through a trade deadline where we assessed whether or not that was still the case. And we went into an offseason this year where we took the same approach. This time around, our assessment was the ultimate opportunity we had with Miami was what was best for the Bucks organization now and going forward, and best for Giannis.鈥�
Bucks beginning new chapter
The package they acquired in the trade that sent Antetokounmpo and veteran forward Bobby Portis to Miami will play a big part in the Bucks鈥� revamp. They added 2025 All-Star Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel鈥檈l Ware, Kasparas Jakucionis, the draft rights to rookie and multiple other draft picks.
Those four former Heat players range in age from 20-26.
As all these young players start working with Milwaukee鈥檚 new coach, Horst understands patience will be paramount as the Bucks will need time to learn who they are and how they want to play.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to focus on those things each and every day, so that鈥檚 the lens that we look through more than winning and losing out of the gate,鈥� Horst said. 鈥淪o finding the right north star, having the right approach in staying focused and true to that and the patience to do it I think is the way we鈥檙e going to get there. But it鈥檚 a different era for us, so we鈥檒l learn as we go.鈥�
Horst said there鈥檚 a sense of excitement in this new path because he鈥檚 excited about learning and trying to solve the problems that naturally will arrive. But he also acknowledged how difficult it was to bid farewell to Antetokounmpo because of how much the 10-time All-Star had meant and the community.
The two had been together in Milwaukee for Antetokounmpo鈥檚 entire NBA career. Horst was Milwaukee鈥檚 director of basketball operations when Antetokounmpo was drafted in 2013 and got promoted to general manager in 2017.
鈥淕iannis will be back in Fiserv (Forum) soon and he鈥檒l be back in Fiserv multiple times,鈥� Horst said. 鈥淎nd I really hope 鈥� not hope, I know 鈥� that each and every time the standing ovation, the love, the respect, the admiration that he gets from this city and this fan base and this franchise will be felt and will be appropriate for everything he鈥檚 meant to all of us.鈥�
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