According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Bucks are informing inquiring teams that they don't plan to trade Giannis Antetokounmpo and would like to add more pieces this season.
In the wake of the seemingly endless chatter surrounding their future with Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks are reportedly determined to push through with their franchise centerpiece.
Milwaukee Bucks / Schedule
Despite lacking flexibility, the Bucks have informed rival and interested teams about Giannis that they are aiming to add more pieces heading to the Feb. 5 trade deadline.
"As I reported last Sunday, No matter how many times Giannis Antetokounmpo or Doc Rivers or anyone else associated with the Bucks attempts to convince the basketball public that there are no active trade discussions involving the two-time MVP, you still routinely hear a team or two (or three) out there express the belief that they expect that status to change in January. Will it actually change? The Bucks say no," veteran league insider Marc Stein wrote.
"And they are now countering that noise by telling teams that inquire about The Greek Freak that they want to add to the current roster despite their limited trade assets. It's Milwaukee's latest attempt to try to convince Antetokounmpo, who recently turned 31 in his 13th NBA season, that he can continue to compete for championships if he stays in Brewtown."
So far, there hasn't been any huge progress on the Antetokounmpo trade front despite league-wide monitoring and several teams expressing interest in the Greek star.
It's been relatively perceived that the official sweepstakes will begin only if Antetokounmpo finally informs Milwaukee that he wants to be moved.
Currently, the Bucks couldn't be more desperate to continue building around Giannis. The ball club is slumping and has lost 12 of its last 15 games, leading to an awful 11-17 record that is in the 11th spot of the Eastern Conference.
The downslide might continue as Antetokounmpo is still midway through his ongoing calf strain recovery.
Amid the noise, the Bucks can only continue to assess their roster and address their primary needs to convince Giannis that staying in Milwaukee is the best-case scenario in his career right now.
Like what we are doing? You can express your gratitude here.
If you like our content, please click here and add us as your preferred source. It helps us a lot, and we are committed to delivering you the very latest basketball news.