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Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo seems increasingly likely to spend the remainder of this season with his current team.
Per ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps, the Bucks continue to insist they “have no intention” of trading the two-time NBA MVP and plan to “scour the trade market” for potential roster upgrades before the Feb. 5 deadline.
This comes after Antetokounmpo told The Athletic’s Sam Amick on Thursday that he has no intention of ever requesting a trade.
“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 said. “That’s not … in … my … nature. OK?”
The story for much of this Bucks season has been less about Antetokounmpo’s tremendous play and more about his future with the organization. He and his agent reportedly had discussions last month with the front office about his future with the club, though he later denied having that discussion and said his focus is on winning games.
Since returning to the lineup on Dec. 27 from a calf injury that kept him out for eight games, Antetokounmpo has led the Bucks to a 4-2 record in their last six games. They are still fighting an uphill battle to make the playoffs with a 16-21 record, which currently ranks 11th in the Eastern Conference.
Antetokounmpo is doing everything in his power to keep the Bucks above water. He is averaging 29.5 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game in 23 starts.
Milwaukee is 13-10 in 23 games Antetokounmpo has played, but just 3-11 in 14 games without him.
Unless there is some sort of blockbuster deal that general manager Jon Horst can find in the next four weeks, the Bucks will have to hope Antetokounmpo stays healthy and plays at an MVP level to give them a shot at making the playoff field.