The shock of the Milwaukee Bucks waiving and stretching Damian Lillard's contract came with a lot of backlash. However, the move may open up the game for Giannis Antetokounmpo and keep him happy in Wisconsin.
All summer long, there have been questions about Giannis' future, and every time, he has clearly stated that he loves Milwaukee and sees himself staying there for life. The Athletic's Sam Amick said during a recent episode of The Athletic NBA daily that Giannis didn't enjoy giving up so much of the ball-handling duties with Lillard on the roster, comparing it to a cookie jar when multiple people are trying to get the cookie.
Doc Rivers has hinted at 'Point Giannis' becoming the new norm moving forward, and it may be more real than we first thought.
Point Giannis could earn him a third MVP award with Bucks
Jon Horst and the front office have made a plethora of moves this offseason. Adding more shooting to surround Giannis with, while bringing the age of the roster down and the overall athleticism of the team up.
The Bucks have very much strayed away from the traditional point guards, opting for combo guards in re-signing Kevin Porter Jr. and Ryan Rollins, with the addition of Cole Anthony. All three are more than capable of playing off the ball, and this looks like the blueprint the Bucks are hoping to use. In the title-winning season of 2021, Jrue Holiday was the clear point guard, but Giannis also had a lot of time as the main ball-handler and offensive initiator. Of course, with Lillard, this wasn't the case.
Lillard is more than talented enough that you have to allow him to find his groove and play to his strengths, but one frustration was the lack of pick-and-roll by the two Bucks stars. Now, the Bucks can give Giannis the ball at the start of every action.
Imagine a lineup of Porter, Gary Trent Jr., AJ Green, and Myles Turner surrounding Giannis. Giannis can bring the ball up and breeze past pretty much any defender in the league. When the defense collapses, you have four good 3-point shooters waiting for the dish from Antetokounmpo.
There will be a lot on Giannis' shoulders this season, as there is with every season. With the East being wide open, there is a chance for the Bucks to overcome doubters and for Giannis to win a third MVP by stuffing the stat sheet as a point forward. If that is something that the Milwaukee Bucks think will keep him happy, then they are certainly doing it with the roster construction.
It may have been a shock. It may initially have come with a lot of negatives, but there are positives for the Bucks since they waived Lillard. The roster is fully constructed, and there are plenty of things to like about it. We could very well see 'Point Giannis' this season, and that gives him a great chance of team and personal success.