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Bobby Portis on Giannis Antetokounmpo: ‘I think he’s staying put with the Bucks’

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Bobby Portis: And um, I just think that, you know, ultimately, when you’ve been on a team for a decade-plus, and when you’ve done so much for a city—low-key, like, basketball in Milwaukee wasn’t really a thing until Giannis became who he is. So when you put that much effort into a franchise, that much trust and belief, and you’ve been loyal for so long… Like I said—my whole point—I just feel like he bleeds green, man. No matter what’s reported, no matter what might come to the threshold… Like, would you really want to see Giannis in Toronto as a basketball fan? You know what I’m saying? I saw those jersey swaps this week on Bleacher Report and all that, but come on. Would you really want to see him on a different team? Sure, if I’m playing 2K, that’s one thing. Move him around, put him on different teams, cool. But in real life? A No. 34 Giannis jersey in Toronto? That would just look weird. So me personally? Nah, man. I don’t really see any movement happening. I think he’s staying put with the Bucks.
Source: YouTube

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

StatMuse @statmuse
Players to average 30/5/5 in a 20+ game playoff run:
— Jokic
— Giannis
— LeBron
— Kobe
— MJ
and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. pic.x.com/3pGLSY8dK2 – 12:17 PM

Kendrick Perkins @KendrickPerkins
4 unprotected picks for Desmond Bane? The next stop for KD needs to be his basketball HOME and the Knicks Coaches Search is malpractice at its Finest.
If Memphis don’t get KD or Giannis they need to break it up… meaning trade JJJ and Ja
Sunday addition of @RoadTrippinPod
Tap – 9:45 PM
Zach Lowe @ZachLowe_NBA
New Zach Lowe Show! @BillSimmons and I react to G4 of what is shaping up to be an epic Finals, and talk KD, Giannis, Knicks coaching search, draft/trades — all things NBA offseason:
Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/4bLdWW…
YouTube: youtu.be/ORTDQsy3wLQ – 9:33 AM
Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
If Tyrese Haliburton wanted to score more, he easily could.
We’ve seen him dust Giannis Antetokounmpo, Mikal Bridges, and Alex Caruso repeatedly this spring – 10:34 PM

More on this storyline

Most notably, Smith said that Antetokounmpo would be an “underachiever” if he did not win another NBA title. Smith noted Antetokounmpo’s career accomplishments but also referenced the fact that Antetokounmpo and the Bucks have not won a playoff series since 2022 (which Smith called “unacceptable”). In a post to his Instagram Story on Sunday, Antetokounmpo responded to Smith’s comments. Antetokounmpo reposted a message from a fan that read, “Giannis went from selling sunglasses on a beach in Greece to a multi-millionaire who won a championship without having to run to a superteam. He has over-achieved his wildest dreams and anyone who thinks otherwise is ridiculous.” Antetokounmpo added a couple of “100” emojis as well as a fire emoji to a screenshot of the post. -via Larry Brown Sports / June 16, 2025
Sources suggesting the Raptors were and would be again interested in finding a way to make a deal for Antetokounmpo work are credible, and consistent with the buzz I’ve heard here at the NBA Finals. And the same is true for Durant, who the Raptors were linked to — again, credibly — prior to the 2022-23 season. According to league sources, the Raptors were monitoring Durant’s availability leading up to the trade deadline this past February so it’s not surprising that the Raptors have been referenced as a team that might be willing to take a one-year “gamble” on Durant, who is under contract for 54.7 million for the upcoming season at age 37. -via SportsNet / June 15, 2025
Bobby Portis I mean honestly—just personally—this year’s free agency, I’m focused on Bobby Portis. I’m worried about what’s best for me, what’s best for my situation. Where can I fit? Where can I play the best basketball? If I sign a three- or four-year deal, where can I be the best version of Bobby Portis? Where can I grow, and where can I be compensated fairly? That’s my biggest focus right now. Obviously, I would love to be back in Milwaukee. I’m not saying I don’t want to come back to the Bucks—I would love to—but I just want to be compensated fairly, man. I’ve taken a lot of team-friendly deals to be here. We’re at a point now where I feel like it’s time I get compensated—fairly—to my peers. That’s all I ask for. -via YouTube / June 16, 2025
Team executives expect Portis to have numerous potential landing spots in the midlevel market as well, although Milwaukee would like to bring back the 30-year-old forward, sources say. Golden State has always been a team to monitor for Portis, who has a notable fan in head coach Steve Kerr from their shared days during the 2023 FIBA World Cup competition with USA Basketball. -via marcstein.substack.com / June 12, 2025
Chris Haynes: This upcoming meeting, expected to take place next week in Milwaukee, will be the first time both sides formally sit down post-season. Let me also add: there was no exit interview for Giannis. From what I was told, the Bucks said, “Hey, emotions are running high immediately after the loss, so let’s pivot and have this conversation later.” As a result, there’s been no communication between the two sides from that point until this morning. This meeting, scheduled for the middle of next week, will be Giannis’s chance to express what he wants and desires—but also, and most importantly, to listen. He’ll want to hear what plans the organization has. What are they planning to do with Bobby Portis? What about Brook Lopez? And what’s the plan regarding Damian Lillard’s injury and potential replacement? Is there anything actionable in that area? -via YouTube / May 18, 2025