Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo Sends Clear Message on Knicks Trade Rumors

The offseason was a bit of a whirlwind for Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, as rumors swirled about the NBA star's potential desire to play elsewhere.

Even now that Antetokounmpo is four games into the season, questions of his loyalty to Milwaukee are still surfacing.

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Over the summer, ESPN's Shams Charania released a report stating that the only team Antetokounmpo would consider playing for outside of Milwaukee was the New York Knicks, who the Bucks beat on Tuesday.

After the game, in which Antetokounmpo scored 37 points, the two-time MVP was asked about his potential connection to the Knicks.

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Antetokounmpo denied any past desires to be traded to New York.

"Right now, I'm here representing my team. And that's it. We beat the Knicks. That's all. Doesn't really matter. What matters is we have a game in two days against Golden State, try to stay locked in and get two in a row," Antetokounmpo told reporters. "But I didn't read that article. I try to stay away from all the rumors and speculation, trades and all this It doesn't concern me one bit."

After the game, Giannis Antetokounmpo was asked about the offseason trade rumors with the Knicks.

Here is the full post-game interview sequence with @SbondyNBA and Giannis Antetokounmpo, regarding those rumors: pic.twitter.com/OrmZ2BHifd
— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) October 29, 2025

Throughout the past few years, Antetokounmpo has made clear his desire to win a second championship, putting pressure on the Bucks over the offseason to put the team in the best position possible.

Giannis denies reports that he would prefer the Knicks if he were to be traded:

“Who said that? I'm here representing my team. And that's it. We beat the Knicks. I didn't read that article, try to stay away from all the rumors.”

(via @sny_knicks)pic.twitter.com/9dY8M9VIcO
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) October 29, 2025

So far, it seems that this iteration of the Bucks — who are 4-1 to start the season — could have championship potential, but the season is young.

Beating the Knicks, a team that swept the Bucks last season, was one step on the way to building a championship contender.

"They were way better than us last year. And we didn't make it tough for them," Antetokounmpo said. "It was very easy, in my opinion. And as the leader of this team, I remember. I don't forget things and I try to — from early at shootaround — set the tone for the team and try to remind them."

Antetokounmpo is — unsurprisingly for one of the best players the game has seen this century — driving the Bucks towards success. The Greek Freak is averaging 36.3 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists through four games this season, positioning himself as an early favorite for his third MVP award.

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