Doc Rivers on Giannis Antetokounmpo's Bucks exit, coaching star - ESPN

Former Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers says Giannis Antetokounmpo kept «yo-yoing» by not publicly requesting a trade before ultimately being dealt to the Miami Heat this summer.

«Giannis wanted out, but he was a Buck. And he didn't want to be the bad guy,» Rivers told «The Bill Simmons Podcast» in an episode posted Thursday. «He wanted [GM Jon Horst and owner Wes Edens] and those guys to say, 'We're trading you,' instead of him asking for a trade. To me, that was the game that was being played.»

The 2025-26 season for the Bucks was largely overshadowed by the question of Antetokounmpo's future with the franchise he led to the 2021 NBA championship. Throughout the season, Antetokounmpo told multiple outlets, including ESPN, that he was committed to the Bucks and would «never» demand a trade.

However, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania that Antetokounmpo and his agent, Alex Saratsis, had consistently informed the Bucks since May 2025 that he wanted a trade and believed it was best for both sides to part ways. That ended with the Bucks trading Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to the Heat for Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round picks, one pick swap and one second-round pick.

The Heat are off to a slow start in Antetokounmpo's first season, going 3-6 through Thursday's 120-100 loss to the Golden State Warriors. Antetokounmpo is leading the Heat in points (27.3 PPG) and rebounding (12.7 RPG).

Rivers discussed the challenges of coaching Antetokounmpo, telling Simmons he wished that Antetokounmpo had stepped up as more of a leader in Milwaukee.

«Giannis needed to just give himself to the team, not to anyone else,» Rivers said.

He also addressed Antetokounmpo's style of play as a