Bobby Portis Predicts Giannis Will Stay with Bucks amid NBA Trade Rumors

Bobby Portis has a feeling that his star teammate will stay with the Milwaukee Bucks this offseason.

On Run It Back (h/t HoopsHype), Portis explained why he thinks Giannis Antetokounmpo won't leave Milwaukee amid trade rumors.

"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," Portis said. "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."

Portis makes a solid point considering Antetokounmpo has been a staple of the franchise for more than a decade and clearly values what he's built in Milwaukee. He's made nine All-Star teams, seven All-NBA First Teams, won Defensive Player of the Year and a pair of MVPs. Most importantly, he revived a struggling franchise and led them to a championship in 2021.

After the Bucks' season ended, there were plenty of indications that Antetokounmpo would request a trade out of Milwaukee, but the narrative has flipped in recent weeks. ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported last week that opposing teams have "come to terms with the realization" that Antetokounmpo isn't going to request a trade.

What's more, the Bucks reportedly are willing to enter the luxury tax this offseason to try to build a support cast around Antetokounmpo. Instead of trading Antetokounmpo and planning for the future, it seems Milwaukee might still be focused on a future featuring Antetokounmpo.

If that ends up being the case, Portis and others on the Bucks will be more than happy to have Antetokounmpo back.