Giannis Antetokounmpo is trying to keep his Bucks teammates focused amid the swirling trade rumors surrounding the NBA superstar.
Antetokounmpo had reportedly met with several teammates to address talk about his future and encourage them to keep the focus on basketball, though it didn’t appear he did much to suggest he would remain in Milwaukee.
“With rumors currently swirling about Giannis Antetokounmpo and his future, sources have told me that Giannis Antetokounmpo recently addressed some of his teammates to emphasize the importance of focusing on basketball,” NBA insider Cris Haynes reported on NBA TV on Tuesday. “And to not allow outside distractions to disrupt the process. I was told his point was that he is here right now to get better. He wants to make sure he gets his game back on track, make sure he comes back from this injury, but he understood and he delivered the message that he has no control over what happens or what even happens to him.”
“Obviously things get rowdy at some point, with him having to address some of his teammates. We’ll see what happens from here.”
The Bucks star is currently out with a calf injury, with a timeline assuming a two-to-four week window before returning to the court for a team that sits at 10-15. He last played on December 3 against the Pistons. Antetokounmpo is averaging 28.9 points and 10.1 rebounds through 17 games.
Antetokounmpo and his agent, Alex Saratsis, have had discussions with the Bucks front office about Antetokounmpo’s future in Milwaukee, and trade rumors continue to swirl.
The Knicks have long been linked to Antetokounmpo, with The Post confirming two months ago that he saw the Knicks as one of the teams he would consider a trade to this summer.
However, talks between the Knicks and Bucks never progressed very far.
Athletic’s Sam Amick described the Heat as a potentially good fit for Antetokounmpo when he appeared on “Run It Back” on Tuesday.
A solution is expected in the coming weeks, which would put an end to the unrest.
But until then, the rumor mill is churning as all eyes turn to Antetokounmpo and the Bucks to see what the future holds for both parties.
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