Giannis Antetokounmpo has insisted his immediate focus is on regaining full fitness and turning around the Milwaukee Bucks' season, rather than engaging with persistent trade speculation. The two-time NBA MVP spoke publicly for the first time since a 3 December ESPN report claimed his agent, Alex Saratsis, had discussed his long-term future with Bucks officials.
Antetokounmpo, who turned 31 on 6 December, has been sidelined with a right calf strain sustained during a victory over the Detroit Pistons on the same evening as the report. He acknowledged that agent-client conversations are routine but stressed he has not personally discussed his future with the Bucks. 'I’m still locked in, locked in on my teammates. Most importantly, locked in on me getting back healthy,' he said.
The Bucks have struggled without their star, dropping to an 11-17 record after a 111-105 defeat to the Toronto Raptors on Thursday, including a 2-9 mark in games Antetokounmpo has missed. He suggested his rapid return from a left adductor strain last month may have contributed to the calf injury, saying, 'Maybe it was a mistake of me coming back a little bit earlier, because once I come back, now you’re overcompensating.'
Trade rumours have intensified amid the Bucks' poor form, with ESPN reporting in August that the team and the New York Knicks had held trade talks about Antetokounmpo. The forward admitted the constant speculation has been difficult for his family and the team, and he has had informal conversations with teammates to offer reassurance. '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,’' he said. 'We’re grown … men. That’s not going to happen.'
Antetokounmpo acknowledged that the topic will persist because 'when people see cracks, they see opportunity to get in through those cracks.' However, he remains focused on returning to the court and helping the Bucks achieve consistent victories. 'At the end of the day we’re fighting for something,' he added.
