Doc Rivers, former coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, disclosed details surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo's departure from the team, stating the star player wished to leave without being the one to initiate a trade request.

"Giannis wanted out, but he was a Buck. And he didn’t want to be the bad guy," Rivers said on "The Bill Simmons Podcast." "He wanted [general manager Jon Horst and owner Wes Edens] and those guys to say, ‘We’re trading you,’ instead of him asking for a trade. To me, that was the game that was being played."

Antetokounmpo was traded to the Miami Heat in the offseason in a significant deal that sent Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, and draft capital to Milwaukee. This move occurred after Rivers' tenure with the Bucks, which ended when he resigned earlier this year.

Rivers also commented on the challenges of coaching Antetokounmpo, describing him as "not easy" and a "difficult guy" to coach. "He plays at this crazy downhill pace. He’s really a difficult guy," Rivers stated. "He has this great passing ability, but he doesn’t have a super-high IQ at the same time. He really has only one way of playing. Every play, he wants to force it. I wish he’d learned how to execute better."

Jason Kidd, who coached Antetokounmpo with the Bucks from 2014 to 2018, disagreed with Rivers' assessment of Antetokounmpo's basketball IQ. "Giannis’ superpower to get downhill and he makes plays," Kidd said on ESPN. "Understanding Doc saying that his IQ, I disagree with that. I think Giannis understands how to play the game. His forcefulness getting downhill is what it’s all about. And so when he causes a problem, he’s one of the top five players in the league."

The Miami Heat have had a difficult start to the season, holding a 3-6 record. Antetokounmpo is averaging 27.3 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game. Despite the team's struggles, they recently won three of four games before losing to the Warriors. Coach Erik Spoelstra is working to integrate Antetokounmpo with Bam Adebayo following a reshaped roster in the offseason. The Heat's offense ranks 19th despite playing at the second-fastest pace, and their defense is ranked 26th.

The Heat are scheduled to play the Kings on Sunday.