Giannis Antetokounmpo insists he has no blood on his hands.
bucks superstar rejected on wednesday He played a role in Milwaukee's surprising firing of rookie head coach Adrian Griffin after just 43 games.
“I loved the guy. I invited him to my wedding,” Antetokounmpo said after Milwaukee's 126-116 win over the Cavaliers. “I was coached by him and it went very, very, very well. … When someone gets hired, sometimes he says the GM comes in and asks, 'What do you think about that?' There may be. what do you think about this? 'Anything, not just me, players and people whose advice he trusts.
“But sometimes they make it seem like it's the players who are making the decisions. Like, no. I have a job. My job is to be the best version of myself that I can be. It's about leading this team to win games. That's what I get paid. I'm not getting paid to change people's lives or make people uncomfortable.”
The Bucks hired Doc Rivers to replace Griffin, but interim coach Joe Planty led the team Wednesday night.
The Bucks looked good in their first game after the move, as the team's X account posted a video of the game. dancing players before going to court.
Antetokounmpo then led the way with a triple-double, recording 35 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists, defeating a Cleveland team the Bucks lost by 40 points just a week ago.
Some are speculating how much of a role Antetokounmpo played in his dismissal, as he is a superstar on the team and a two-time NBA MVP with such an important role to play.
A report in Sports Illustrated said Antetokounmpo and the Bucks veteran have “lost faith” in Griffin.
Antetokounmpo previously guaranteed Griffin's employment after firing Mike Budenholzer and said he was surprised by the change.
Bucks general manager Jon Horst also said the team's decision was made by the ownership group and front office, not the players.
“I have to trust the front office and I have to trust that the ownership group is considering the big picture,” Antetokounmpo said. “My job is to be the best version of myself and help lead the team and win games. Their job is to build the best team possible and surround the team as much as possible. It's all about creating the best atmosphere.
“I know they believe this increases our chances of winning a championship. But yeah, I think it was a surprise.”
The Bucs started the post-Griffin era with solid wins over their divisional rivals, but Rivers has gone on to become one of the best players on a team that most agree has not lived up to his potential. He will be tasked with drawing out his power.
The Bucks have the second-best record in the NBA at 31-13, but something has seemed off all season, especially on defense.
“There's a lot of things we can improve on, from our defense to our offense, from our chemistry to the way we practice to our level of concentration when we go into games,” Antetokounmpo said.
