Giannis Antetokounmpo puts Bucks trade rumors to bed: ‘I’m locked up’

Giannis Antetokounmpo continued to insist that he has not demanded a trade from Milwaukee and that he is “locked in” to play for the Bucks.

Antetokounmpo, 31, confirmed his position in a interview with Athletics That was released Thursday amid ongoing speculation about his future with the Bucks.

“There will never be an opportunity, and there will never be a moment where I’m going to come out and say, ‘I want a trade,’” Antetokounmpo told the outlet. “That’s not…in…my…nature. Okay?”

The Bucks have not had discussions with other NBA teams about a potential trade, although it was previously reported that the team discussed a potential deal with the Knicks this summer. However, the two parties never really made any progress.

Antetokounmpo has said repeatedly this season that he did not ask for a trade.

“I’m not going anywhere. I’m invested in this team,” he said. “I want to turn this team around. I want to play good basketball. I want to be healthy. I want to help my teammates. I want to win games. The last six games we’ve played, we’re 4-2. We’ve got a lot of games left. I’m locked in. I’m locked in. My priority is just staying healthy.”

The Bucks superstar also told the outlet that his plan was to remain in Milwaukee for the rest of his career, emphasizing that “I’m not the one in charge. I’m an employee.”

Antetokounmpo still holds significant cards in the situation in Milwaukee, where he is eligible for a significant extension on October 1. He also has an opt-out clause for the summer of 2027 as part of his current deal.

During the lengthy interview, Antetokounmpo told The Athletic that he was “1 million percent” committed to “my teammates, to my craft, to this team and to this city.”

“I don’t look good. I’m not looking to my left. I’m just looking at the next game, which is the Lakers, and I want to win the game,” he said. “I want us to get wins before the All-Star Game so we can get back in the race. What are we now, 11th? This is not who we are, you know? So that’s all I think about.”