Milwaukee Beat Writer Says Bucks Not Behind Celtics-Giannis Trade Buzz
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The speculation linking the Boston Celtics to a potential trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo is not being driven by the Milwaukee Bucks, according to longtime Bucks beat reporter Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
During an appearance on CLNS Media with host Bobby Manning, Owczarski said none of the chatter about Boston’s interest can be traced to the Bucks’ front office. “Whatever is being reported is not coming out of Milwaukee,” he stated.
Owczarski pointed to the track record of Bucks general manager Jon Horst, describing the executive as famously secretive. “Jon Horst does not leak; he has a very small front office and he does not discuss anything,” the reporter said.
He recalled that Horst operated from a makeshift “bunker” inside the Bucks’ locker room while negotiating the 2023 trade for Damian Lillard, a deal completed after weeks of reports suggesting Lillard was headed to the Miami Heat. Owczarski added that even some members of Horst’s immediate staff were unaware of those talks.
The journalist cited three major moves executed with similar discretion: the 2020 acquisition of Jrue Holiday, the 2023 trade for Lillard, and the 2025 waive-and-stretch of Lillard followed by the signing of Myles Turner. In each case, Owczarski said players and team personnel were “blindsided” by the news, underscoring Horst’s preference for tight-lipped negotiations.
Owczarski emphasized that his comments did not confirm or deny Boston’s interest in Antetokounmpo, only that any information currently circulating is unlikely to originate from Milwaukee. “I can’t speak to the Celtics … but it’s not the Bucks’ M.O.,” he said.
The remarks suggest that if the Bucks are evaluating scenarios involving their two-time MVP, history indicates they will keep those plans under wraps.
Source: Hoops Wire
