The Milwaukee Bucks are staring down a franchise-altering moment - and this time, it's not about a coaching change or a playoff exit. It's about Giannis Antetokounmpo, the two-time MVP and face of the franchise for nearly a decade, officially requesting a trade ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline. That move doesn't just shake up Milwaukee’s future - it likely slams the door shut on a remarkable era that included nine straight playoff appearances, two trips to the Eastern Conference Finals, and the 2021 NBA championship that brought a title back to the city for the first time in 50 years.
This isn't just the end of a chapter. It’s the closing of a book that, while filled with highlights and hardware, also had its share of turbulence - particularly on the sidelines.
Over those nine seasons, the Bucks cycled through three different head coaches. And while coaching turnover isn’t uncommon in today’s NBA, one specific move is now being pointed to as a turning point - and not in a good way.
Veteran forward Jae Crowder didn’t hold back on social media following the news of Giannis’ trade request. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Crowder called out the organization’s decision to fire Adrian Griffin midway through the 2023-24 season, saying it was “WHAT STARTED THE AVALANCHE.”
The Bucks were 30-13 at the time of Griffin’s dismissal - a record that, on the surface, doesn’t scream crisis mode. But the team had been under fire for defensive inconsistencies, and the front office made the call to pivot.
Crowder’s post wasn’t just a shot in the dark - it was a window into how at least some inside the locker room viewed the situation. When another user pointed out that Bucks players were seen dancing before their first game after Griffin’s firing, Crowder responded with more context.
“WE WASNT DANCING BC HE GOT FIRED,” he wrote. “WE DANCED TO TRY AND SHAKE THE VIBES IN A POSITIVE LIGHT BC WE WERE ALL BLINDSIDED AND HAD A GAME TO PLAY WITHOUT A HEADCOACH. WHAT WERE WE SUPPOSE TO DO BE SAD ON THE COURT AND GET BLOWN OUT?”
That’s a raw, honest take from a veteran who’s been through the grind. It speaks to the emotional whiplash that can come with midseason upheaval - especially when the locker room doesn’t see it coming.
After Griffin’s exit, the Bucks turned to Doc Rivers, a proven name with a championship pedigree. But the results didn’t follow.
Rivers went 17-19 to close out the 2023-24 season, and for the second year in a row, Milwaukee was bounced in the first round of the playoffs. This season, things have slipped even further.
As it stands, the Bucks are on the outside looking in - a scenario that would’ve been unthinkable just a year ago when Giannis was still anchoring both ends of the floor.
Whether or not Adrian Griffin could’ve steered the ship more effectively is something we’ll never know. But with Antetokounmpo now preparing to leave the only NBA home he’s ever known, the Bucks are heading toward a full-scale reset.
The questions now shift from “What went wrong?” to “What’s next?”
Because when a player like Giannis walks out the door, it’s not just a roster move - it’s a seismic shift. And for Milwaukee, the aftershocks are only just beginning.