Giannis Antetokounmpo told reporters on Thursday that his priority is getting back healthy and helping the Milwaukee Bucks reverse a losing streak, dismissing speculation about a trade.
The comments came after a December 3 ESPN report that Antetokounmpo and his agent, Alex Saratsis, were discussing with Bucks officials whether he should stay in Milwaukee or be traded. Antetokounmpo strained his right calf in a victory over the Detroit Pistons that night and has not played since.
During a 24-minute media session, Antetokounmpo said, “There’s going to be conversations that are going to be made between (my agent) and the Bucks, and him and his other players, and him and other teams and other GMs, executives around the league.” He added, “It’s something that you can’t control. But, at the end of the day, I personally have not had the conversation with the Bucks. I’m still locked in, locked in on my teammates. Most importantly, locked in on me getting back healthy.”
The Bucks dropped 111-105 to the Toronto Raptors on Thursday, bringing their record to 11-17 and a 2-9 mark in games Antetokounmpo has missed. He had missed four games earlier in the season with a left adductor strain and then injured his calf in his fourth game back from that injury.
Antetokounmpo explained that the rapid return may have caused the calf problem, saying, “Maybe it was a mistake of me coming back a little bit earlier, because once I come back, now you’re overcompensating.” He continued, “The only way you can pop your soleus is by overcompensating and then having an extreme amount of load or play a lot of games in a short period of time. Again, I think all of the things that I was thinking and trying to come back led to the incident that I had with my soleus.”
The speculation about Antetokounmpo’s future has intensified as the Bucks have struggled. ESPN reported that the Bucks and New York Knicks had engaged in trade talks in August, but the discussions never progressed to a deal.
When asked about the rumors, Antetokounmpo said he’s “locked in” with the team but acknowledged that he could eventually change his mind. He added, “This is the most I’ve been ever talked about in my career. I’m in my house with my kids and all that and I’m opening the TV and it’s like, ‘Oh, Giannis is going to the Memphis Grizzlies,’ or ‘Giannis is going to the Detroit Pistons.’ Which, hey man, I’m not going to lie, I’m the hottest chick in the game right now. No, I’m joking.”
The player said that the rumors are tough on his family and the team. He told reporters, “I’m never going to have a meeting with my teammates and sit everybody down and talk about like, ‘Hey guys, hey, if we don’t win I’m going to get out of here,'” and added, “Like, come on. We’re grown … men. That’s not going to happen. They’re grown, too. I think they understand the deal. You’ve just got to give urgency to the team. Like, ‘Guys, this is like serious. Who are we trying to be? We’ve got to turn this around. We have time to turn this around.’ And you’ve got to have a little bit more urgency.”
He also said, “I think I’ve had the conversation with the coach about it. I think I’ve had the conversation with individual players about it. I’ve been approached by teammates and asked about the rumors because it also might affect their own life and their own career. I’m straight with them, whatever that answer might be.”
When asked about his priorities, Antetokounmpo emphasized that he is not thinking about the trade topic. He said, “At the end of the day we’re fighting for our lives. Like, we’ve got to win a game. So, rumors won’t help us win a game. Or, you know, anything else. We’ve just got to focus on basketball.”
The Bucks’ recent slump has placed the team in a difficult position, with an 11-17 record and a 2-9 record in games without Antetokounmpo. The forward’s focus on health and team cohesion comes at a time when the franchise is under pressure to improve its standings.
Antetokounmpo’s statements underscore a commitment to the Bucks and a desire to return to the floor as soon as possible. The NBA community will watch closely to see how the player’s health and the team’s fortunes unfold in the weeks ahead.
