Jan 25, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) dribbles the ball against the LA Clippers in the second half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Giannis Antetokounmpo gives his honest thoughts about Mavericks trading Luka Doncic

Originally posted on Dallas Mavericks on SI
By Kade Kimble | Last updated Feb 3, 2025 3:29 PM ET

The impact of Luka Doncic being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers hasn't been felt entirely yet. The Dallas Mavericks traded him to the biggest club in the NBA and one of the most popular sports franchises to exist.

After suffering an injury on Christmas day, Doncic is still going to be sidelined for a bit, though him suiting up in the purple and gold is going to shift the league's landscape for years to come.

The trade, naturally, sparked a conversation across the league and brought many, many reactions. One player who gave his extensive thoughts on the deal is Milwaukee Bucks franchise superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.

"And at the same time, I understand the business of basketball, that sometimes teams need to make the best moves that are good for their organization and for their position and for their own pursuit of greatness and championships," Antetokounmpo said. "But at the same time, it goes both ways. You cannot have a double standard here. When the teams make the best moves for them and they believe they can get another player to win now.

"When a player believes that he can go to a different team, and he believes that he can have the chance to win a championship, we cannot crucify the person and say that he's not loyal and he didn't do the right thing and he let everybody down because the history has showed you that you have to do what's best for you and your family and you have to do what's best, what's most important to win."

Evidently, Antetokounmpo -- as a player who has spent his entire career with the Bucks -- understands loyalty, but can acknowledge that it's a business and it's a bit of a double standard in terms of expectations between clubs and players.

This article first appeared on Dallas Mavericks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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