It’s one thing to want a trade to a different team.
However, it’s a whole other thing to Charles Barkley when a player openly voices a desire for a trade because he or she wants to be on a team that will contend for a championship each year.
Thus, the Hall of Famer has a bone to pick with Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The two-time MVP is staying in Milwaukee after being the focus of trade rumors again this offseason.
What’s different this year is that — as The Post confirmed — Antetokounmpo had made it known he only wanted to be traded to the Knicks, should the Bucks have pursued that path.
Then, when asked about the report, Antetokounmpo said he is “locked in” with the Bucks but that could change in six, seven months.
While appearing on the “Rich Eisen Show” on Thursday, Barkley ripped Antetokounmpo for the sense of entitlement.
“You know, it’s interesting how these guys feel like they’re entitled to play for the championship every year,” Barkley said. “As a great player, you should feel like ‘I’m a great player, if I get any help, we’re going to win.’ You gotta give the Milwaukee Bucks credit. I wish a person would love me as much as the Bucks love Giannis. I really do.
“They went out and got him, Damian Lillard. They went out and got him Myles Turner. They have done everything possible to try to make the Bucks win again. So the notion that he doesn’t feel like they’re doing everything in their power, they have done everything.
“It’s unfortunate he feels like he is entitled to win a championship every year. Everybody wants to win a championship but the Bucks have done everything they possibly could. It’s disheartening for me to hear him thinking like ‘If we don’t win a championship this year, I wanna be out of here.’ I hate hearing that.”
Two years ago, the Bucks brought in Lillard to pair with Antetokounmpo and the team instantly considered a favorite for an NBA championship.
However, they fell short of the lofty expectations, losing to the Pacers in the first round in back-to-back years while the two stars each missed time due to injuries.
Lillard tore his Achilles in Game 4 of this year’s series.
The Bucks released the nine-time All-Star — even with $103 million left on his contract — and he returned to the Blazers this offseason, though it is unlikely he suits up at all for them this season as he recovers.
That allowed the Bucks to add Turner from the Pacers to their roster, signing a four-year $107 million deal in free agency.
He is a piece the team believes will help them compete for championships, yet Antetokounmpo still seems unsatisfied.
The Greek Freak already is among elite NBA company. He has won two MVP awards and an NBA championship in 2021 with Milwaukee.
However, to be considered one of the greats, Antetokounmpo is chasing for more.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
