Giannis Antetokounmpo reassures Milwaukee Bucks after their concerning message

The Milwaukee Bucks have been working as if Giannis Antetokounmpo could request a trade at any moment. However, that does not seem to be his reality. In fact, there may be nothing further from it.

"The NBA is a business," Antetokounmpo commented to COSMOTE TV. "If they traded me, I would do my job, but I don't think I would ever send a text message (asking for a trade). I'm not that kind of person. They would have to kick me out. Many people don't know me... or know me from what they read or see on TV. Many people see what other players do and assume I could do the same. But I'll be very honest with you, I have done what I said I would do from day one. And it hasn't changed."

For those who have noticed the times Antetokounmpo has joked about his potential departure from Milwaukee, these comments may not carry much weight. Giving the benefit of the doubt to the good is the general rule. However, it is difficult to reconcile him saying that he would probably never request a trade when there has been much talk about the possibility of him leaving the Bucks if they are not competitive enough to win a championship.

In fact, it was just 18 months ago when Antetokounmpo explicitly refused to sign a contract extension with the Bucks until he was sure that everyone is on the same page and everyone is going for a championship, as reported by The New York Times journalist Tania Ganguli.

If there was any doubt, he reiterated and tripled that feeling. "As long as we all agree on that and you show it to me and we go together to win a championship, I agree," Antetokounmpo said. "At the end of the day, being a winner is above that goal of playing for a franchise your whole career," he adds. "Winning a championship is the priority. I don't want to be on the same team for 20 years without winning another championship."

However, in his interview for COSMOTE TV, the two-time NBA MVP had a more balanced opinion on the title fight: "Now, at the end of the day, they are not going to hand me a championship, but I have the opportunity. Some people don't even have the chance to wake up and think about a championship or think about going out there and competing in an NBA game."

Giannis Antetokounmpo should stay with the Bucks

That being said, it's hard to see what Antetokounmpo's real position is. If the Greek ever wanted to leave, perhaps he would finish his contract and sign with another franchise as a free agent. However, due to the millions that superstars can lose when changing teams, it would be more lucrative for him to stay. That doesn't mean he is obsessed with money. However, a man with a wife and three children is not going to ignore that factor.

What is clear is that he has taken pressure off the Bucks' front office. It could be argued that the only reason they signed Damian Lillard and Kyle Kuzma, sacrificing their defensive base for offensive power, was to convince Antetokounmpo that they are serious about winning championships. Of course, the franchise wants to lift another title. However, they may hesitate more when it comes to making risky trades.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Giannis Antetokounmpo tranquiliza a Milwaukee Bucks tras su preocupante mensaje