Giannis Antetokounmpo had told the reporters after the Luka Doncic trade to the Los Angeles Lakers that he wanted to see top European talent to opt for the big teams. When he made these comments back in February, he added that he wanted to see Nikola Jokic play in New York. Following the rumors that the two-time MVP could be on his way out of Milwaukee Bucks, Shaquille O'Neal sent the Greek Freak a message.
What did Shaquille O'Neal say to Giannis Antetokounmpo?
During his recent appearance at the Good Word With Goodwill podcast, Shaquille O'Neal answered when asked what would be his advice to Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Nobody cares what city you are in anymore. This ain’t the 90s. … Bigger market doesn’t matter. Social media is the market now. You go to LA, that’s 50% of your contract goes to taxes, more pressure, more articles and more stress.
Not just this, O'Neal even added that during his NBA career, he had to move from Orlando to Los Angeles to play for LA Lakers. The move had financial implications as the Magic didn't want to pay him the money that the then owned Jerry Buss-owned team was willing to give. Besides playing for a renowned franchise, the big market allure was one of the key reasons for O'Neal joining the Los Angeles Lakers.
According to Shaquille O'Neal, the Greek Freak should not go for a big market team since he is on a max contract. He has urged him to let the opportunities come to him rather than chasing them in places like LA or New York.
Giannis Antetokounmpo wants to play for a state that has no income taxes
According to NBA insider Shams Charania, Giannis Antetokounmpo will not be closing doors to a possible trade. Following another first-round exit at the hands of Indiana Pacers, Giannis will look to play for another franchise.
After what Charania reported, Sam Amico of Hoops Wire added,
Houston and San Antonio are in Texas, where there are no state income taxes. Antetokounmpo is intrigued by that idea, the source said.
The Houston Rockets finished second in the Western Conference but were eliminated in the first round by the Golden State Warriors. The Rockets are eyeing to include All-Star center Alperen Sengun to land Giannis Antetokounmpo.
If Giannis really wants to play for a state that has no income taxes, then San Antonio Spurs could land him. The Spurs have the No. 2 and No. 14 picks in the upcoming NBA drafts. The Spurs could add Rookie of the Year Stephen Castle and other players to pair Giannis with their star player Victor Wembanyama.