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Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo claims he never demanded a trade and wants to finish his career with the franchise.
"There will never be a chance, and there will never be a moment that I will come out and say, 'I want a trade,'" Antetokounmpo told the Athletic after Wednesday's (January 7) loss to the Golden State Warriors. "That's not in my nature."
Last month, ESPN's Shams Charania had previously reported that Antetokounmpo, 31, and his agent Alex Saratsis were reportedly having conversations about whether staying in Milwaukee or pursuing a move elsewhere is best for his NBA future.
"My plan is to be here for the rest of my career," Antetokounmpo said via the Athletic. "If they don't want me ... I'm not the one in charge. I am an employee."
Charania had previously reported that Antetokounmpo bought into the vision of Bucks general manager Jon Horst and head coach Doc Rivers, but sources claimed he'd examine the team's first 25 or so games before making a long-term decision on his NBA future. Milwaukee was 9-13 at the time of the initial report and is currently 16-21, ranking 11th in the Eastern Conference standings, one spot lower than the final play-in seed.
Sources told Charania that the losing was frustrating for Antetokounmpo, as well as members of the front office, coaching staff and roster, but one source specified that "the writing is on the wall" and expects the franchise player to move on unless there's a dramatic shift in the team's season. Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to an NBA championship in 2021, one year after winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards.
The nine-time All-Star is currently averaging 29.5 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists through his first 23 games of the 2025-26 NBA season.