Giannis Antetokounmpo stated that “there will never be a chance” to ask the Bucks for a trade, and that he plans to stay in Milwaukee his entire career.
The future of Giannis Antetokounmpo has been a topic of conversation during the 2025-26 season, but the two-time MVP insisted that he will never ask for a transfer from the Milwaukee Bucks.
“There will never be a chance, not a moment where I will come out and say, ‘I want change,’” he declared. Antetokounmpo to The Athletic after Wednesday’s 120-113 loss to the Golden State Warriors. “That’s not in my nature.”
With approximately one month left before the deadline for changes to the NBA, Antetokounmpo reiterated its commitment to Milwaukee for the rest of this season and beyond.
“My plan is to be here for the rest of my career,” he said. Antetokounmpo. “If they don’t want me… I’m not the one in charge. I’m an employee.”
ESPN reported last month that the Bucks have not contacted other teams about a possible move involving Antetokounmpo and, instead, they have focused on strengthening their squad to try to build a team around their star.
Antetokounmpowho turned 31 in December, is averaging 29.5 points, 10 rebounds and 5.5 assists this season despite missing 14 games due to injury. Although he records some of the best statistics of his career, the Bucks They are in eleventh place in the Eastern Conference with a balance of 16-21, which has led to Antetokounmpo to emphasize a message of urgency in recent weeks.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he said. Antetokounmpo to The Athletic. “I am committed to this team. I want to turn the situation around. I want to play good basketball. I want to be healthy. I want to help my teammates. I want to win games. In the last six games, we have a record of 4-2. We have many games ahead of us. I am totally focused. My priority is to stay healthy.”
ESPN reported before the start of the season that the Bucks and the New York Knicks discussed a possible transfer during the summer, with New York being the preferred destination for Antetokounmpo. Antetokounmpo acknowledged that he had considered other options during the preseason, but at the beginning of the season he said he was committed to the Bucksalthough he admitted that it would be humane to “change his mind.”
However, Antetokounmpo has attempted to distance itself from trade rumors on several occasions this season.
Twice last month, he reiterated that he was “all in” and that his agent’s conversations were beyond his control, and again when he said “it’s disrespectful to the organization, my coaching staff, myself and all the people who work hard for me to come out and say ‘I don’t want to be here.'”
Antetokounmpo is at an important crossroads, since on October 1 he will be eligible for a four-year contract extension worth $275 million. He also has a buyout clause in his current contract for the summer of 2027. The decisions he makes in this regard could give him significant influence over any future moves.
However, as the season approaches its midpoint, Antetokounmpo He stated that his focus was not on the trade deadline, but on finding a way to save the team’s season. Bucks.
“Today I am committed, not 100%, but a million to my colleagues, to my work, to this team and to this city,” he said. “A million percent. I’m not looking left or right. I’m just thinking about the next game, which is against the Lakers, and I want to win. I want us to get wins before the All-Star to get back in the fight. Are we in 11th place now? That’s not who we are, you know? So that’s the only thing on my mind.”
