Milwaukee — Giannis Antetokounmpo said he has no intention of requesting a trade, telling The Athletic after the Milwaukee Bucks’ 120-113 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday that such a move is “not in my nature.”
With roughly a month remaining before the NBA’s trade deadline, the two-time Most Valuable Player emphasized that he plans to stay in Milwaukee for the long term. “There will never be a chance, and there will never be a moment that I will come out and say, ‘I want a trade,’” Antetokounmpo said. “My plan is to be here for the rest of my career. If they don’t want me … I’m not the one in charge. I am an employee.”
ESPN reported last month that Milwaukee has not discussed trading Antetokounmpo with other teams and is instead pursuing roster upgrades around its star forward. Antetokounmpo, who turned 31 in December, is averaging 29.5 points, 10 rebounds and 5.5 assists despite missing 14 games with injuries this season. The Bucks are 16-21 and sit 11th in the Eastern Conference, a position that has prompted the forward to stress urgency.
“I am invested in this team,” he said. “I want to turn this team around … I’m locked the f— in. My priority is just staying healthy.” Milwaukee is 4-2 over its past six games.
Over the summer, the Bucks and New York Knicks held preliminary trade discussions, with New York emerging as Antetokounmpo’s preferred landing spot, sources told ESPN at the time. Although the forward acknowledged exploring options during the offseason, he reiterated at the start of the year that he was “locked in,” calling trade speculation “disrespectful” to the organization.
The 10-year veteran becomes eligible for a four-year, $275 million extension on Oct. 1 and holds a player option for the summer of 2027, decisions that could shape his future with the franchise. For now, Antetokounmpo said the trade deadline is not on his mind.
“Today, I am committed — not 100 percent, but 1 million percent — to my teammates, to my craft, to this team and to this city,” he said. “I don’t look right. I don’t look left. I look only to the next game, which is the Lakers. We need to stack wins before the All-Star break and get back in the race. We’re what, 11th now? This is not who we are.”
Source: ESPN
