By Kwame Bediako
Milwaukee Bucks general manager Jon Horst has called the decision to trade Giannis Antetokounmpo a “very difficult decision” after the team’s blockbuster move to send the Greek star to the Miami Heat on Wednesday, July 8. Milwaukee received Tyler Herro, four players and a haul of draft picks as it begins a rebuilding phase.
Horst said it was not easy to move on from a player who helped define the Bucks’ most successful era. “No one’s sitting here today and saying that we’re a better team today after trading Giannis. He’s one of the greatest players to ever play, greatest player in the franchise history. We’ve had an incredible amount of success,” he said.
Giannis was drafted by Milwaukee with the 15th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft and grew into one of the league’s biggest stars. He went on to win an NBA championship, an NBA Most Valuable Player award and an NBA Defensive Player of the Year award, cementing his legacy in Bucks history.
Horst said the trade was about creating a new foundation for the future. “For us, it was just about the opportunity to build and to again, set a foundation,” he said. “There is a sense of excitement because it’s a different challenge.”
He added that there was some peace in knowing Antetokounmpo was also entering a new chapter. “If there’s any sense of peace, it’s that I think Giannis is in a similar situation,” Horst said, as Milwaukee turns the page on one of the most successful eras in franchise history.