Giannis Antetokounmpo ‘locked’ to Bucks, but could change his mind in 6 months – Basketball Insider
Giannis Antetokounmpo has not provided any clarification after ESPN reported he was willing to leave the Milwaukee Bucks this summer.
After dealing with the new coronavirus, Antetokounmpo returned to the team and spoke to the media after practice on Wednesday.
“I communicate with my teammates, I communicate with the people that I respect and love, and when I step on this court, this facility, I’m wearing this jersey, nothing else matters,” Antetokounmpo said. “I was tethered to what I was seeing.
“Now, if I change my mind six or seven months later, I think that’s human nature. You can make whatever decision you want.”
Antetokounmpo talked about temptation and compared the situation to walking around without a wedding ring and people noticing him. Teams can talk to him or his agent, but ultimately — as of now — he’s committed to the Bucks.
Reports suggest that exploratory trade talks are underway between the Bucks and New York Knicks. However, nothing serious happened. That’s not surprising considering the assets New York gave up to the Brooklyn Nets in acquiring Mikal Bridges.
Antetokounmpo turns 31 in December and is entering his 13th NBA season. He has been with the Bucks since being selected with the 15th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft.
Antetokounmpo ready for evaluation in 6 months
The Greek superstar’s comments about possibly changing his mind within six or seven months are significant. The reason is, the February trade deadline is just over six months away.
According to ESPN reporter Shams Charania, Antetokounmpo will evaluate the Bucks’ performance in the next few months and make a decision about his future based on that.
Antetokounmpo has reiterated his desire to compete for a championship, so his status in Milwaukee is up in the air. If the team can surprise people and look like a serious threat to win the Eastern Conference, there could be light at the end of the tunnel.
If not, this is the closest we’ll get to seeing Antetokounmpo outspokenly weigh his options elsewhere.
The trade deadline could result in one of the four best players in the game being traded, which would be a seismic moment in league history.
