Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo has been in trade rumors for the last few years. A budding Hall of Famer stuck on a regressing team is bound to draw attention from outsiders who believe he may want out soon.
Well, count the Miami Heat out of those potential conversations. During All-Star weekend, Antetokounmpo was asked about the possibility of him landing in Miami this summer. He simply responded, "For vacation."
A knife to the heart for any Heat fans that thought they'd have a chance at landing the two-time MVP. But honestly, though, they shouldn't take it personally. There isn't any team that Antetokounmpo is considering at this moment. He once again expressed his commitment to Milwaukee despite the recent struggles.
"As of today, I'm committed to the Milwaukee Bucks," Antetokounmpo said in an ESPN interview with Malika Andrews. "I'm committed to the people that I work with, my teammates, the coaching staff, Coach Doc [Rivers], and [general manager] Jon [Horst] in the front office. What I've said from the beginning of this year is that you will never hear me say I don't want to be a Milwaukee Buck."
Since the Bucks' 2021 championship run, the team has failed to get anywhere close to the Finals. They've won just one playoff series since then, with multiple devastating first-round exits along the way. A combination of injuries and star underperformances have resorted Milwaukee back to an afterthought come the postseason.
And yet, the Greek Freak is staying anchored with his team. He's entertained other teams in his far visions, but his commitment to his team outweighs any other scenarios.
"I am a winner, and I'm extremely loyal," Antetokounmpo continued. "But the only thing that I feel sometimes is that growing up, you dream like, 'What if I played for the Knicks? Or what if I got drafted by the Lakers and I'm teammates with Kobe? What if I'm on the Cavs and LeBron passes me the ball?' And it doesn't change when you're an adult. If there was ever a scenario of me not being a Buck anymore, I just don't want anybody to think that I quit on my team."
NBA fans will still be watching, though. Especially Miami. The 31-year-old superstar has a decorated resume that likely will have every fanbase envisioning where Antetokounmpo could fit on their team. Heat fans' pursuit of a big name will likely continue, even in spite of the short efforts over the past few seasons.