Erik Spoelstra didn’t leave much room for interpretation when he addressed Doc Rivers’ recent comments about Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Miami Heat coach pushed back after Rivers described Antetokounmpo as a tough player to coach, making it clear that Miami is fully invested in figuring things out with its new star.
“Look, I like Doc, and I respect him, this is our business now. We went into the season thinking that that would be a process, playing with somebody (Giannis) that commands so much attention. That’s a different style than some of the guys that have come here, that have played before,” Spoelstra said.
Rivers had taken aim at the two-time MVP while discussing what it was like to coach him, calling him “interesting” and “not easy.” He also said, “He’s interesting.
He’s not easy. He’s not easy because he plays at this crazy downhill pace.
He’s really a difficult guy. ... He has this great passing ability, but he doesn’t necessarily have this super IQ at the same time.
It’s really a strange thing, and he really has one way: downhill, force, force. Every play, he wants to force it,” Rivers said.
The comments came after a huge offseason move for Miami, which landed Antetokounmpo in a blockbuster trade. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that “The Milwaukee Bucks are trading franchise icon Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to the Miami Heat for Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round picks (including No. 13 in Tuesday's NBA draft), one pick swap and one second-round pick, sources told ESPN. The Heat are sending to Milwaukee unprotected first-rounders in 2031 and 2033 along with No. 13, a pick swap in 2030 and a 2033 second-rounder, according to sources,” ESPN's Shams Charania wrote.
Miami entered the offseason looking to make major additions, and the Antetokounmpo deal was the biggest of them all. The Heat see him as a centerpiece, and Spoelstra’s response showed that the organization is prepared to stand behind him through the early bumps that come with the transition.
It’s not often Spoelstra publicly takes on another coach like this, but he made his position plain: the Heat are committed to Antetokounmpo, and they’re not letting outside criticism set the tone.
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