The Giannis Antetokounmpo situation is one many NBA fans have been keeping an eye on. The Milwaukee Bucks are off to a poor start, currently sitting at 11-15. Trade speculation around the Greek Freak has been relentless.
Giannis’s lack of a trade request led to a heated argument between Richard Jefferson and Kendrick Perkins. Perkins thinks that Antetokounmpo should be demanding a trade out of Milwaukee, something he hasn’t officially done yet. But he went too far in his criticism, which Jefferson had an issue with.
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🚨 “Giannis is a coward” 🤯
Perk called Giannis a “coward” for not publicly demanding a trade…
RJ reminded everyone that teams trade players “in the dark” all the time.
Does Giannis owe the public an explanation, or has he earned the right to move in silence? 👇
(… pic.twitter.com/H5WyMW1x3N
— Road Trippin’ Show (@RoadTrippinShow) December 12, 2025
“Giannis is a coward,” Perkins said on the Road Trippin’ Show. “Let’s just call a spade a spade. I say that respectfully, because he doesn’t want to be there! And it’s okay! I don’t want to hear it was reported by Brian Windhorst that Giannis went to the front office. Just publicly come out and say, ‘trade me,’ and stand on it.”
“Who are you, me, her, Channing, to tell Giannis how to handle the exit from a team that he won an MVP, a championship, and a Finals MVP with?” Jefferson snapped back.
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Former NBA player Kendrick Perkins looks on during the fourth quarter between the Houston Rockets and the Oklahoma City Thunder
Former NBA player Kendrick Perkins looks on during the fourth quarter between the Houston Rockets and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
“Who are we to tell him how to handle this? They have a team… and you’re talking about ‘I’m tired of this’. No one gives a f**k, Giannis doesn’t give a f**k what you’re tired about, nor should he, respectfully.”
The argument continued for a while, but it’s hard not to disagree with Perkins here. Antetokounmpo has achieved everything in Milwaukee. If he is to leave, then he’s allowed to do that on his own terms. It’ll be interesting to see how it all turns out eventually.
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