RealGM Basketball Wiretap

22 August 2025

• Giannis Antetokounmpo Cleared To Join Greece For EuroBasket

  Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has now been cleared to join Greece for EuroBasket 2025. Antetokounmpo had to wait for clearance from the Bucks, because his contract is larger than the insurance would cover in case of injury. That meant Milwaukee had to approve their star player's participation in this summer's tournament.

  Greece head coach Vassilis Spanoulis confirmed Antetokounmpo would be with the team following a recent exhibition against Montenegro.

  "He will be fine. On Saturday, he will start training with us normally, which was our plan. He is already working with us on the 5-0," Spanoulis said about Antetokounmpo.

  Greece begins Group C play on August 28 against Italy. Other teams in Group C include host Cyprus, Spain, Georgia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

• Amir Coffey, Bucks Agree To One-Year Deal

  Amir Coffey and the Milwaukee Bucks have agreed to a one-year deal. Coffey went undrafted in 2019 and spent the first six seasons of his career with the Los Angeles Clippers.

  During the 2024-25 season, Coffey averaged 9.7 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 24.3 minutes over 72 games. Coffey is a career 38.4 percent three-point shooter and shot 40.9 percent last season.

• Giannis Antetokounmpo Still Waiting For Permission From Bucks To Play EuroBasket 2025

  Giannis Antetokounmpo is still waiting to get permission from the Milwaukee Bucks to participate in EuroBasket 2025 for Greece, according to Eurohoops.

  Due to Antetokounmpo's contract, Antetokounmpo must receive permission from the Bucks because the insurance policy of FIBA does not cover his annual compensation in case of injury.

  Antetokounmpo has already missed an exhibition game against Serbia and is not expected to play in Thursday's game against Montenegro.

  There is a possibility that Antetokounmpo doesn't suit up for Greece in the tournament.

  It was reported earlier this month that Antetokounmpo continues to evaluate his future with the Bucks.

• NBC To Broadcast Four Games On MLK Day

  The NBA's new broadcast partner NBC will be taking over the national games for Martin Luther King Day. MLK Day will feature four national games between NBC and Peacock this season on Monday, January 19.

  The action will kick off with the Milwaukee Bucks at the Atlanta Hawks at 1:00 PM ET on Peacock. NBC will then pick up with a triple-header of games.

  The Oklahoma City Thunder will travel to play the Cleveland Cavaliers at 2:30 PM ET. The Dallas Mavericks will play at the New York Knicks at 5:00 PM ET. And the day will round out with the Boston Celtics at the Detroit Pistons at 8:00 PM ET.

  NBC will stream up to three games on Monday nights this season. Those games will be exclusively available on Peacock. The first set will be a double-header on Monday, October 27 and will feature the Cavaliers at the Pistons at 7:00 PM ET, followed by the Denver Nuggets at the Minnesota Timberwolves at 9:30 PM ET.

• Cole Anthony Says Leaving Magic 'Bittersweet', Excited To Play For Bucks

  Cole Anthony has never played for another team in the NBA but the Orlando Magic. After he was traded to, and subsequently released by, the Memphis Grizzlies, Anthony signed with the Milwaukee Bucks. That's still taking some getting used to for the veteran guard.

  "I remember that whole week, it was just crazy," Anthony said about being traded. "I've been here five years, haven't played for another team, was drafted here, so it's something for me that definitely is bittersweet and I'm going to miss it."

  Anthony is excited to join the Bucks and to chase a championship.

  "I look at it as a great opportunity to enter another team where they have a playoff pedigree and a championship pedigree," Anthony said. "They've won a 'chip there. I just want to get in there, contribute and do whatever I can for the team. I want to be a part of winning."

• Giannis Antetokounmpo Continues To Evaluate Future With Bucks

  The Milwaukee Bucks have attempted to remake their roster this offseason in hopes of competing for a title around Giannis Antetokounmpo, but his future with the franchise remains uncertain, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.

  "Sources tell me there's still nothing set in stone about whether Giannis Antetokounmpo will stay in Milwaukee, or whether he will be leaving," said Charania. "And so he's continuing to evaluate his future. I reported it in mid May that he's evaluating whether his best fit is in Milwaukee, or is it elsewhere? And that process is continuing.

  "There's been some very real conversations over the last week or so. The constant question that Giannis has, though, is: 'Can I win a championship with this roster? Is this roster going to be the one for this upcoming year and 2026-27?' He wants to win a second championship. So he's asking that question over and over. There are multiple teams waiting in the wings, potentially, if Giannis this offseason still makes that decision."

  Charania was asked why the process is continuing for Antetokounmpo into August instead of in late June or early July.

  "This is a very tough decision for him, though," said Charania. "This is 12 years he spent there. There's a lot of equity there. He won a championship there. This type of move isn't going to be easy because this is a Milwaukee Bucks organization. They went out and they stretched and waived Damian Lillard $13 million. They did that because they wanted to show Giannis, 'We're doing everything in our power to keep you here.' But Giannis Antetokounmpo is the ultimate decider whether he feels this roster is good enough."

  Antetokounmpo, who had another top-3 MVP finish in 2024-25, has two additional seasons remaining on his contract.

• Damian Lillard Reflects On Time With Bucks, Calls Injuries 'Biggest Hurdle' To Championship

  Damian Lillard recently spoke with the Journal Sentinel about his two-year tenure with the Milwaukee Bucks, emphasizing that injuries prevented the team from reaching its championship potential. Lillard, who was waived-and-stretched by Milwaukee on July 6 and re-signed with the Portland Trail Blazers, averaged 25 points and seven assists during his time with the Bucks.

  Lillard addressed criticism about his performance in Milwaukee, noting the team's injury struggles throughout both seasons. The Bucks were the second seed for most of the 2023-24 season before finishing third, then faced significant health issues in the playoffs.

  "I think you gotta be a little bit lucky to win big. You gotta be healthy and you gotta be playing your best at the right time and I think we just had bad luck," Lillard said.

  The point guard detailed how injuries affected both playoff runs. In 2024, Giannis Antetokounmpo missed the entire first round while Lillard injured his Achilles in Game 3 and missed two games. This year, Lillard ruptured his Achilles at the start of Game 4 in their playoff series.

  "The healthy part we just didn't have," Lillard explained. "I think that's the biggest hurdle. That was our biggest hurdle and each year that was the case."

  Despite the injury setbacks, Lillard and Antetokounmpo formed the league's highest-scoring duo during their time together. The pair also captured the NBA Cup championship, which Lillard viewed as validation of their potential when healthy.

  Lillard defended his individual performance against critics who compared his Milwaukee production unfavorably to his Portland years. He emphasized the challenge of maintaining elite numbers while sharing the court with another ball-dominant superstar.

  "But I think Giannis and I, we was the highest-scoring duo during that time. We won a Cup. I think a lot of people for me personally was like, we want to see Dame do this and Dame do that, but I'm playing with a 30-plus point per game scorer, a guy who plays with the ball in his hands the same way I've done my whole career. He's aggressive and attacking and I still managed to score 25 points per game and seven assists over my two years pretty much," Lillard said.

  "So I think it's kind of unfair how people was like Dame (isn't the same) because of the way I played in Portland. I had the ball all the time, so it just looked different. But I think for how productive I actually was I think it's been viewed unfairly. Because how many other people have averaged 25 a game with seven assists as the No. 1 option, let alone playing with somebody like Giannis? But I wouldn't say it was incomplete. I thought we just couldn't stay healthy. I think that's the biggest hurdle. That was our biggest hurdle and each year that was the case."

  Lillard praised his partnership with the two-time MVP, calling it a "luxury" to play alongside such a dominant player. He appreciated Antetokounmpo's dedication and competitive spirit, noting their shared commitment to team success.

  "As a tandem with him, I felt like we can go and win it all with the two of us," Lillard said. "I'm not sure I'll ever have that experience again."

• Chris Livingston, Bucks Agree To One-Year, $2.3M Deal

  The Milwaukee Bucks have agreed to re-sign Chris Livingston on a one-year, $2.3 million deal.

  Livingston appeared in 21 games with the Bucks last season, averaging 1.4 points and 1.7 rebounds in 5.0 minutes. Livingsto also appeared in 18 G League games, averaging 18.1 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 29.5 minutes.

• Jon Horst: I've Done Everything Within My Human Possible Power This Offseason

  Milwaukee Bucks general manager Jon Horst defended the team's decision to waive-and-stretch Damian Lillard in order to create enough cap space to sign Myles Turner in an exclusive interview with The Athletic. The Bucks stretched Lillard's $113 million contract over five years to create cap space for Turner's four-year, $108.9 million deal. The decision was made in order to maximize their chances of competing during the tenure of Giannis Antetokounmpo.

  Lillard is expected to miss most of the 2025-26 season recovering from a torn left Achilles tendon. The move places approximately $22.5 million in dead money on Milwaukee's salary cap for the next five seasons.

  "Maximizing Giannis' prime, our opportunities to win, I feel like that's our responsibility always. So it was really a now versus future decision," Horst told The Athletic.

  Horst revealed that Turner had been a long-term target for the organization. The opportunity arose after Tyrese Haliburton's injury affected Indiana's plans during the NBA Finals run.

  "This was one that we were always exploring. And Myles has always been a target," Horst explained.

  The Bucks plan to expand Antetokounmpo's playmaking responsibilities next season. Doc Rivers has publicly advocated for utilizing Antetokounmpo in a point forward role.

  "He truly is becoming a real point guard. His decision-making is elite. His turnover game is reducing," Horst said of the two-time MVP.

  Despite consecutive playoff disappointments, Horst expressed confidence in Rivers' coaching abilities. The Bucks finished with 50-win seasons in both years under Rivers despite significant injury challenges.

  "He's a championship-level coach. He's the right coach to get us to where we want to go," Horst stated.

  Horst was asked if he feels he's done enough this offseason to put together a team around Antetokounmpo capable of competing.

  "Have we done enough? We've done everything, I've done everything within my human possible power this offseason," said Horst. "I feel like our group works our butts off. I've got to shout out Dave Dean, Ryan Hoover, Milt Newton, Pat Haneman, Samer Jassar, David Mincberg, and Arjun Mahendroo, the whole group, we do everything we can to get better. We do everything we can to put the next version of this thing out there, to give Doc and Giannis and Bobby and Scoot (Kevin Porter Jr.) and the guys on our team every chance that they can to win every night.

  And so have we done enough? I don't know. We'll find out. Have we done everything that we possibly could? Absolutely. And have we done more than anyone else could possibly do? I believe we have. And that's not an arrogant thing to say. In a very humble way. I think we've done as much or more than anyone else could possibly do, and I'm proud of that.

• Cole Anthony Agrees To Buyout With Grizzlies, Will Sign One-Year Deal With Bucks

  Cole Anthony has agreed to a contract buyout with the Memphis Grizzlies, sources told Shams Charania of ESPN.

  Anthony is set to sign a one-year deal with the Bucks after he clears waivers.

  Anthony was sent to the Grizzlies as part of the Desmond Bane trade with the Magic.

  Anthony averaged 12.5 points, 4.3 assists and 3.8 rebounds in his five seasons with the Magic.

  The buyout gives the Grizzlies the cap space to renegotiate-and-extend Jaren Jackson Jr.