Giannis Antetokounmpo would not need to speculate about his future with the Milwaukee Bucks. On Thursday, the two-time MVP addressed rumors that he and his agent have been considering whether or not Milwaukee was nonetheless the appropriate match for him.
Antetokounmpo claimed he was unaware of a report earlier this month about conversations between his agent, Alex Saratsis, and the Bucks about whether or not his NBA future was finest served by remaining in Milwaukee or heading elsewhere. The Bucks’ star participant stated that his precedence was getting wholesome and that his agent is free to have his personal conversations with out Antetokounmpo’s involvement.
“I did not hear concerning the report,” Antetokounmpo advised reporters. “Once more, if my agent is speaking to the Bucks about it, he’s his personal particular person. He can have any dialog he desires about it. On the finish of the day, I do not work for my agent; my agent works for me. And there is going to be conversations which might be going to be made between him and the Bucks, and him and his different gamers, and him and different groups and different GMs, executives across the league. It is one thing which you can’t management.
“However, on the finish of the day, I personally haven’t had the dialog with the Bucks. I am nonetheless locked in, locked in on my teammates. Most significantly, locked in on me getting again wholesome.”
Antetokounmpo has been sidelined since straining his calf towards the Detroit Pistons on Dec 3. The Bucks initially believed he’d be out for 2 to 4 weeks, however Antetokounmpo says his 4 to 6 weeks is a extra sensible timetable. Antetokounmpo, 31, believes he could have returned too early from a left adductor pressure final month, resulting in the calf damage 4 video games later.
“Possibly it was a mistake of me coming again just a little bit earlier, as a result of as soon as I come again, now you are overcompensating,” Antetokounmpo stated. “The one method you may pop your soleus is by overcompensating after which having an excessive quantity of load or taking part in a number of video games in a brief time frame.”
In August, ESPN reported commerce talks between the Bucks and the New York Knicks concerning Antetokounmpo. Nothing materialized as he recommitted himself to the Bucks, however talks of an eventual commerce have solely grown since.
“This is essentially the most I’ve ever been talked about in my profession,” Antetokounmpo stated. “I am in my home with my children and all that, and I am opening the TV, and it is like, ‘Oh, Giannis goes to the Memphis Grizzlies,’ or ‘Giannis goes to the Detroit Pistons.’ Which, hey man, I am not going to lie, I am the most popular chick within the sport proper now. No, I am joking.”
The Bucks have struggled to recreate the magic that led them to turn into 2021 NBA champions. The Bucks carry an 11-16 document heading into Thursday’s sport towards the Toronto Raptors, together with a 2-8 stretch with out Antetokounmpo on the courtroom. Antetokounmpo insists that he will not use his standing on the crew as leverage or a menace to demand outcomes from his crew.
“I am by no means going to have a gathering with my teammates and sit everyone down and speak about like, ‘Hey guys, hey, if we do not win I am going to get out of right here,'” Antetokounmpo stated. “Like, come on. We’re grown … That is not going to occur. They’re grown, too. I believe they perceive the deal. You have simply bought to offer urgency to the crew. Like, ‘Guys, that is like critical. Who’re we attempting to be? We have to flip this round. We’ve got time to show this round.’ And you have to have just a little bit extra urgency.
“I believe I’ve had the dialog with the coach about it. I believe I’ve had the dialog with particular person gamers about it. I have been approached by teammates and requested concerning the rumors as a result of it additionally may have an effect on their very own life and their personal profession. I am straight with them, no matter that reply is likely to be.”
