The NBA trade deadline is now less than 48 hours away, and while a flurry of deals has already unfolded across the league, the biggest name looming over the deadline remains Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
According to reports, the Bucks are listening to offers - and even countering - despite setting an extremely high asking price for teams interested in the two-time MVP.
While Antetokounmpo previously requested a trade, comments that surfaced Tuesday night amid intensifying rumors have left fans wondering where his heart truly lies.
"If you ask me what do I really want, deep down in my heart? I want to be a Milwaukee Buck until I retire and win a championship here," Antetokounmpo said, via Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "If that is not possible to happen, and you realize maybe that's not the case and maybe they're looking elsewhere, then automatically you have to be in the plans of what they're trying to do or weigh the other options. It's normal."
Antetokounmpo went on to discuss his personal goals and whether they align with the Bucks' direction, while also delivering an emotional reflection on his life in Milwaukee - from getting married to raising his family.
"I got married in Milwaukee, Wisconsin - legally, from the courthouse," Antetokounmpo said. "I've had my kids here. My father is buried here. So tell me, when I open my kids' passports and it says born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and my dad is buried here, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin."
"I know what my goal is," Antetokounmpo said. "I don't know what their goal is. I talk to them, but I don't think it's fair to share those conversations. They haven't come to games recently, and we haven't been very good, so they're probably upset.
"You can talk to them. Ask them what their goal is, what they want to do. They might want to reveal it. They might even want to sell. They might want to do some other things. Maybe - I don't know."
There is no guarantee Antetokounmpo will be moved by Thursday, but if he is, the teams most frequently mentioned in rumors include the Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Miami Heat. Still, if the NBA has taught us anything, it's that nothing is off the table - especially when it comes to trades.
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