Giannis Trade Deadline Looms Over Bucks

Giannis Antetokounmpo trade talk is heating up as Doc Rivers says he is waiting for the Feb. 5 deadline. Rivers noted, "Giannis has said everything that we need to hear, that he wants to be a Buck, he loves the city," and added, "My favorite day of the year this year will be the day after the trade deadline." Reporting says Giannis is "ready for a new home ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline" as the Bucks sit 18-28, have lost seven of eight, and Giannis is sidelined with a calf injury. Merlin sees Milwaukee at a crossroads. The club carries $22.5 million a year in dead cap after the Damian Lillard stretch and lacks clear trade assets, so the Bucks can ask for a big return now or wait and risk losing leverage this summer. Rivers wants calm, but the injury timeline and the standings make a move likely before long.