Giannis Antetokounmpo 'surprised' by Adrian Griffin firing, trusts Bucks' brass - ESPN

MILWAUKEE — Bucks two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo said the firing of first-year head coach Adrian Griffin caught him by surprise, but that he trusts Milwaukee's decision-makers to give the team the best possible chance to win a championship.

«I've got to trust the front office, I've got to trust the ownership group that they consider the bigger picture,» Antetokounmpo said following the Bucks' 126-116 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night. «My job is to be the best version of myself, to lead this team out there and help win games.

»Their job is to create the best team possible and the best atmosphere around the team possible that they believe gives us a better chance to win a championship. But yeah, I do think [firing coach Griffin] was a surprise."

Griffin was dismissed on Tuesday despite a 30-13 record through his first 43 games, second in the Eastern Conference. He is the first coach since David Blatt was fired by the Cavs in 2015-16 to be dismissed with such a high winning percentage.

Sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski that Doc Rivers reached an agreement in principle Wednesday to become the Bucks' next coach. General manager Jon Horst said he would not comment until a deal became official.

Before Wednesday's game, Horst detailed his decision to fire Griffin, saying he wished to improve the group at a coaching level in order to maximize the team's championship window this season. He also emphasized that this was a decision made by the team's front office and ownership group, not one driven by player input.

Antetokounmpo has been vocal all season in his criticism of the Bucks' performance despite their record. Even on Wednesday, he acknowledged the ways Milwaukee could improve when asked about