The NBA media day gave Giannis Antetokounmpo a chance to answer questions about his new team in a formal manner today. Antetokounmpo wore his Miami Heat jersey and spoke with joy about his expectations for the upcoming season. The blockbuster trade sees Giannis about to play his first game with a franchise outside of the Milwaukee Bucks since entering the league.
One media member asked about Antetokounmpo’s new fit and whether he can easily team with Bam Adebayo:
“I think it’s going to be easy, but it’s going to take time for sure. Like, it’s not going to look pretty from the beginning. And obviously, a lot of people have expectations about us. But at the end of the day, I think we both understand, this is year 10, he’s been in the NBA for a decade, this is year 14 for me.
We both understand, slowly, slowly, it doesn’t have to look good on the first night. But eventually, when you have two hardworking guys and two guys that do the right things, eventually it’s gonna look good. I know that he’s gonna be honest with me, gonna tell me the truth, gonna keep me accountable, and it goes both ways. I’m gonna do the same.”
Giannis both said it will be an easy process and that it will take some time. Miami is one of the few Eastern Conference teams who could start slowly and get the benefit of the doubt to improve. Antetokounmpo talked about Adebayo, but players like Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins can help the cause.
Why Giannis Antetokounmpo Is Excited About Bam
The media day comments saw Giannis going even more in depth about playing with Adebayo on the same team. Media members have questioned the fit since both do a lot of similar things, especially since they used to defend each other in Heat vs Bucks series.
Antetokounmpo referenced being excited to anchor a defense with Adebayo as the two bigs protecting the paint. Miami losing contributors like Tyler Herro and Jaime Jaquez will require them to change up the offense.
Giannis expressed interest in that side of the game and implied he wants to return to MVP form. The Heat will have a lot of work to do to have a real shot at the NBA Finals with teams like the New York Knicks,Philadelphia 76ers, and Cleveland Cavaliers all having title hopes in the East.
Successful Season For Giannis Antetokounmpo & Miami
The improvement to the East sees varying opinions about where Miami will finish. Skepticism over the new roster and depth have some expecting them to be a play in team, but Pat Riley has far higher hopes.
The legendary basketball genius has helped players like LeBron James, Jimmy Butler, and Patrick Ewing find more success. Riley is hoping to add Giannis to that list since he’s joining the Heat as an all-time great player already.
Success for Miami would be safely getting into the top six playoff seeds and winning at least round. An early elimination would feel too stagnant. Antetokounmpo must develop chemistry with Adebayo, Wiggins, Davion Mitchell, and others for this experiment to work.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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