Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo makes feelings on future clear ahead of trade deadline

As of Wednesday morning, the NBA community didn't know if superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo would still be a member of the Milwaukee Bucks when the trade deadline comes and goes at 3 p.m. ET on Thursday. 

For an article published on Wednesday, Antetokounmpo spoke with Eric Nehm of The Athletic about the 31-year-old's uncertain future. 

Giannis Antetokounmpo wants to be on same page with Bucks or with a different team

"I want to be a Milwaukee Buck for the rest of my career," Antetokounmpo told Nehm. "I want to win here, another championship. And if you can tell me that’s possible, let’s just hang up the phone. You know basketball. You see basketball. You understand basketball. You’ve been around greatness. You’ve been around a championship team. You’ve been around a good culture. You’ve been around when the popcorn was popping. You were around; you saw it. If you tell me that that’s possible, we can hang up the phone and keep on moving with our day."

As much as pockets of Bucks fans may like reading such comments, the harsh truth is that Milwaukee likely isn't one offseason away from assembling a roster that would keep Antetokounmpo happy. The 12th-place Bucks began Wednesday with a record of 19-29, and Antetokounmpo said shortly before he suffered a calf injury in late January that he felt some teammates were "not playing hard," were "not playing to win" and were "being selfish." 

During his chat with Nehm, Antetokounmpo insisted he "1,000 percent" would commit to staying with the Bucks for at least one more season if they "can convince me to stay within the team, and the next year that we can compete." He could become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2027 if he declines the player option attached to his current contract.

A two-time MVP, Antetokounmpo has played only for the Bucks since they selected him with the 15th pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. Recent stories have linked him with the Golden State Warriors, the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Miami Heat. However, the Bucks could wait to complete a blockbuster trade so that more teams can enter the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes this coming summer. 

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks may now be on different timelines

For a piece posted on Tuesday night, Antetokounmpo told Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he wants "to be a Milwaukee Buck for the rest of my career and win here." The "win" portion of that comment may have been doing some heavy lifting. 

"It’s always (about) competing, man," Antetokounmpo added during his conversation with Nehm. "I feel like I’m 31 years old. … There’s fewer chances left in front of me that I will be able to compete and be there, play and feel like the way I felt like a couple years ago. I just want to go back to that as soon as I can, because I feel like we’re running out of chances, running out of time. Like, how long would your prime be? If I’m lucky, let’s say 36, 37. If I take the LeBron James route, maybe 41, but let’s be realistic here. … Father Time is undefeated."

The writing is clearly on the wall regarding Antetokounmpo's Milwaukee tenure, but that doesn't necessarily mean a divorce will be finalized this week.