By Matthew CoudenShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberFor many weeks before the NBA trade deadline, the biggest name repeatedly offered in speculation over a massive deal was Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
However, when Thursday's deadline officially arrived, Giannis remained part of the Bucks' roster, seemingly indicating that the team would keep him at least for the rest of this season. That non-move was arguably the biggest surprise amid the multiple other deals that NBA teams made, since it had been discussed heavily for such an extended time.
One of the key individuals breaking major news on trades and other happenings in the league is ESPN's NBA insider Shams Charania. He had been involved in various rumors that were presented on ESPN, social media, and elsewhere regarding The Greek Freak, so he drew a lot of attention when there was no such trade by Thursday's deadline.
Read more: Josh Hart Reacts to Knicks Trade With Pelicans for Jose Alvarado
...That allowed the Milwaukee Bucks and their head coach, Doc Rivers, to have some fun with things. During a recent press conference, Rivers trolled Charania hard over the ESPN journalist's involvement in the rumors and his participation in the upcoming Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game.
Rivers asked reporters if they wanted a Giannis update, then spoke about how the Bucks star is coaching the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game with Charania on his team's roster.
"He did inform me that he's gonna put Shams on the trading block, so I'm just gonna go make that announcement now," Rivers said, before smirking.
The Milwaukee Bucks' social media team shared a video clip on X and other accounts, indicating that the conversations began over whether Charania's "best fit is staying on Giannis' All-Star Celebrity team" or going elsewhere.
Charania is part of a celebrity team that also includes former NBA stars Jeremy Lin and Tacko Fall, Detroit Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, hip-hop star Glorilla, and actor/comedian Keegan-Michael Key, among others.
The celebrity game occurs on Friday, Feb. 13, as part of a busy All-Star Weekend, which also features the new format of the All-Star Game, along with the annual Slam Dunk Contest, 3-Point Shootout, and more.
Meanwhile, Charania was a busy individual over the past several weeks, as various rumors emerged. In just the past few days, there was a flurry of trades, including All-Star players James Harden, Darius Garland, and Anthony Davis all going to new teams.
While the Bucks didn’t move Giannis in any blockbuster deals, they achieved a less significant trade. In a three-team deal with the Chicago Bulls and Phoenix Suns, they acquired center Nick Richards, Nigel Hayes, and Ousmane Dieng before sending Richards to the Bulls.
In a draft grades story, ESPN gave Milwaukee a "B-" grade for the deal, indicating the 2022 lottery pick Dieng “showed promise in the final season of his rookie contract” and the Bucks used their spending power to evaluate Dieng over the remainder of this season.
For many weeks before the deadline, there was much talk about Giannis potentially joining a contending team such as the New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, or the Minnesota Timberwolves.
All four of these potential playoff teams also made moves before the deadline to address roster needs. Meanwhile, Giannis remains with Milwaukee, a team currently outside of the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
With that in mind, it should be quite interesting to see whether Giannis pulls the trigger on a wild trade involving Shams Charania during the entertaining NBA All-Star Celebrity Game.
Read more: Donovan Mitchell Reveals Cavaliers’ Expectations After James Harden Trade
For more about the Milwaukee Bucks and the NBA, visit Newsweek Sports.
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