Giannis Antetokounmpo wants to stay in Milwaukee, for now.
The two-time MVP reiterated his commitment to the Bucks on Wednesday, while reports on Tuesday made waves that the Knicks discussed a potential trade for the superstar in August after he singled out New York as "the only place" he wanted to play outside of Milwaukee.
SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley confirmed that the Knicks and Bucks had cursory talks about an Antetokounmpo deal at the time, but they didn't reach an advanced level. Begley noted that Antetokounmpo sees the idea of winning a title in New York appealing.Â
Antetokounmpo made it clear he believes in the Bucks and his main goal is to win another championship. Although he left the door open to a potential trade down the road, saying it's "human" to change your mind.
"I've said this many times: I want to be in a situation that I can win," Antetokounmpo said. "I believe in this team. I believe in my teammates. I'm here to lead this team to wherever we can go. It's definitely going to be hard. We're going to take it day by day, but I'm here. So all the extra stuff does not matter.
"I've communicated with my teammates, communicated with the people I respect and love, that the moment I step on this court or in this facility, I wear this jersey, the rest does not matter. I'm locked into whatever I have in front of me. Now, if in six, seven months I change my mind, I think that's human, too."
When asked about rumors that circulated during the offseason that he wanted to leave Milwaukee, Antetokounmpo called it "temptation," but that's now in the past and he's ready for the start of the season with his current team.
"It's temptation. That starts when the season ends until the season begins," Antetokounmpo said. "There's going to be a lot of people that are going to approach me or approach my agent and they're going to say this is a possibility, that's a possibility … but at the end of the day, ultimately, I'm going to make a decision. And my decision today is that I'm here and I'm committed to this team."
Antetokounmpo, who'll turn 31 on Dec. 6, signed a three-year, $175 million contract extension with the Bucks in October 2023. He's set to make $54.12 million this season, $58.45 million next season, and holds a player option for the 2027-28 season with a cap hit of $62.78 million before hitting unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2028.
The Bucks went 48-34 last season and lost to the Indiana Pacers in the first round (4-1). They made major changes to the roster during the offseason following Damian Lillard's Achilles injury in the playoffs, waiving and extending him in a rare move, and then signing former Pacers big man Myles Turner. If Milwaukee gets off to another slow start or appears to be on the outside of the postseason looking in by the time of the trade deadline (Feb. 5, 2026, at 3:00 p.m.), it's possible Antetokounmpo's mind will have changed about the organization and he's ready for a new team.