After months of speculation about his future with the Bucks, superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has finally made his public stance crystal clear. In an interview with The Athletic (subscription required), Giannis confirmed his desire to stay with the Bucks for the time being and the future. It's a huge relief for Bucks fans who have seen the Greek Freak cement himself in franchise history over the years.
There will never be a chance, and there will never be a moment that I will come out and say, "I want a trade."
Giannis affirms his desire to stay with the Bucks
Hearing this on the record from Giannis is also a big win for the Bucks front office. Although they would never want to trade away their franchise icon, the trade market for him was starting to look quite bleak. Teams seemingly weren't willing to give the Bucks a fair return for a star of Giannis' caliber, so it benefits Milwaukee to hold onto him.
Even more reassuring was Giannis's quote committing himself to the Bucks long term. He stated, "My plan is to be here for the rest of my career." It's obviously too early to tell if that will come true, but it builds additional confidence in his teammates and the front office. Hopefully Giannis' interview can give the Milwaukee Bucks renewed focus and eliminate the biggest distraction of their season.
There is still a fear that Giannis will go back on his word one day. But the Bucks must approach the rest of this season trying to maximize their team around him. The roster is in need of shakeups, and the trade deadline is fast approaching. Now that Giannis has unofficially taken himself off the trade market, the Bucks can be more aggressive in seeking external upgrades.
Despite their most recent loss, the Bucks are trending upwards as of late. They've won 4 of their last 6 games and are just a game out of the 10th seed. Fighting for a play-in spot is not where any Buck would like to be, but they still have time to turn the season around. They'll certainly have good chances to pass the Bulls and Hawks in the standings after the two teams are dealing with injuries and major trades.
Giannis' positive statements to the press won't magically make the Bucks better, but they do help clear the air. If the Bucks can bring a renewed vigor the rest of this season and Giannis can stay healthy, they are still a dangerous playoff team in the East. Now that Giannis has committed himself to Milwaukee, it's never a wise idea to count out the Bucks.